Carnitas Chipotle Copycat Slow Cooker Recipe

5 stars from 4 reviews

Carnitas Chipotle Copycat Slow Cooker Recipe

This Carnitas Chipotle copycat recipe makes luscious slow-cooked pork that's tender and juicy — and there's enough to feed a crowd!

Author: Donna Elick

Servings:

Prep Time15

Cook Time7

Total Time7 15

Ingredients

5 pounds boneless pork shoulder trimmed of visible fat (also labeled pork butt or Boston butt)
3 teaspoons kosher salt divided
2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
4 dried bay leaves
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon dried rosemary or 3 large fresh rosemary sprigs
1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme

Instructions

DRY THE PORK: Pat the 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder dry on all sides with paper towels. The surface should feel dry to the touch, with paper towels coming away damp. Patting it dry is what gives you a deep golden sear, because a dry surface browns while a wet one steams.
SEASON THE PORK: Set the pork on a plate. Sprinkle 2 of the 3 teaspoons kosher salt over all sides. The pork is ready when you can see an even speckle of salt across the whole surface.
HEAT THE OIL: Set a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pour in 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil and give it 1 to 2 minutes. Watch the surface of the oil. When it shimmers, with little waves moving across it like heat rising off a road, it is hot and ready. Light olive oil handles this high heat better than extra virgin, so keep it as written. Short on time? The pork still turns out tender if you skip the sear and go straight to the slow cooker. Searing adds a deeper layer of savory flavor, and it only costs about 15 minutes.
SEAR THE FIRST SIDE: Carefully lower the seasoned pork into the hot oil right after seasoning, so the seasoning stays put on the meat. You will hear a loud, steady sizzle the moment it touches the pan. Let it sit completely still for at least 2 minutes.
CHECK THE SEAR: Slide a pair of tongs under the edge of the pork and gently lift. A properly seared side releases from the pan on its own and looks deep golden brown. A side that sticks is telling you it needs more time, so let it keep sizzling and check again in a minute. Each side takes 2 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat a notch if the sizzle turns sharp or the aroma shifts from toasty to scorched.
SEAR THE REMAINING SIDES: Turn the pork with tongs and repeat on every side until the whole roast is crusted deep golden brown and the kitchen fills with a rich, savory aroma. Plan on 10 to 15 minutes total. Turn off the heat under the Dutch oven when the last side is done.
LAYER THE SLOW COOKER: Scatter 4 dried bay leaves leaves across the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Set the seared pork on top of the bay leaves. You will see the leaves peeking out around the golden roast.
POUR OVER THE PAN DRIPPINGS: Carefully pour any cooking liquid left in the Dutch oven over the pork. Those drippings carry the toasty, savory flavor from the sear, and you can see them glaze the meat as they run down.
DEGLAZE THE PAN: Pour 1/2 cup water into the Dutch oven and return it to medium-high heat. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to lift the stuck-on browned bits. This is called deglazing, and it pulls all that golden flavor off the pan and into the liquid. You will see the water turn brown and rich as the bits dissolve, and it takes 1 to 2 minutes to reach a boil.
ADD THE DEGLAZING LIQUID: Pour the boiling brown liquid from the Dutch oven over the pork in the slow cooker. You will hear a soft sizzle and catch a wave of savory aroma as it hits the meat.
SEASON IN THE SLOW COOKER: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme, the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt over the pork and into the slow cooker. If you are using 3 large fresh rosemary sprigs instead of dried, tuck them on the bottom of the slow cooker under the pork. Flip the pork over once so both sides pick up the herbs. The piney aroma of rosemary will rise as it lands.
SLOW COOK: Cover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours, or on low for 10 to 12 hours. The pork is done when a fork twists into it with almost zero effort and the meat pulls apart in soft strands, at about 195 degrees F inside. Your whole kitchen will fill with a deep, herby aroma along the way.
SHRED THE PORK: Hold two forks back to back and pull the meat apart right in the slow cooker. It should fall into juicy shreds with barely any pulling. Fish out the bay leaves (and rosemary sprigs, if you used fresh) and throw them away. They were in the pot for flavor only.
TASTE AND SEASON: Taste a shred. If it tastes flat, add kosher salt a small pinch at a time, tasting after each pinch, until the flavor pops.
SOAK UP THE JUICES: Stir the shredded pork so every strand glistens with the cooking liquid. Cover and cook 30 to 60 more minutes. You will see the meat drink up the juices and turn extra moist and glossy. Serve it up and enjoy!

Notes

MAKE-AHEAD: Cook the pork a day ahead, shred it, and refrigerate it right in its juices. The flavor gets even better overnight.

STORAGE: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days.

REHEATING: Warm in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of the saved juices, or microwave in short bursts with juices drizzled on top.

FREEZING: Freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags, with some cooking liquid included, up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

SAVE THE JUICES: Ladle the cooking liquid into a jar and refrigerate up to a week. Drizzle it over leftovers before reheating to bring the pork right back to juicy.

BONE-IN OPTION: Bone-in pork shoulder works too. It takes longer to cook, so check that the meat shreds easily and reaches about 195 degrees F inside before calling it done.

CRISPY CARNITAS OPTION: For the traditional carnitas finish, spread the shredded pork on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil a few minutes until the edges turn brown and crispy.

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