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Crockpot Paleo Pork Carnitas Recipe
Good things come to those who wait. Fire up the crockpot in the morning for some utterly delicious shredded pork come dinnertime.
Purchasing Pork
For this crockpot paleo pork carnitas recipe I recommend pork shoulder (if you can find it) or butt. You may also see this meat referred to as Boston butt.
Look for a cut that has some marbling and a coarse grain. Don’t buy pale meat – it should be red-pink.
Pork shoulder benefits from the tincture of time. It has a tendency to be tough and a bit fatty, but it loosens up nicely after several hours of low heat in your slow cooker.
Surprise Ingredient: Orange Juice
I don’t have to convince you that sugar is lurking around every corner these days. That’s true of processed foods and many recipes you’ll find.
Carnitas can also benefit from a little sweetness, however many recipes call for cola or barbeque sauce to achieve this goal.
That’s not good for you or necessary. Instead, you can use orange juice to achieve that traditional taste.
Wrap it Up
Instead of serving your tasty tender pork on a tortilla, you’ll place it on cool, crisp lettuce. In addition to enjoying the taste of this satisfying meal, your house will be left with a lovely, spicy aroma for hours.

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Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons of olive oil (30 ml)
- 1 Tablespoon of dried oregano (3 g)
- 1 Tablespoon of lime juice (15 ml)
- 1 Tablespoon of cumin powder (6 g)
- 1 Tablespoon of chili powder (6 g)
- 1 Tablespoon of paprika (6 g)
- 1/4 cup orange juice (60 ml) (optional)
- 1 medium onion (110 g), chopped
- 6 cloves of garlic (18 g), minced
- 2 lbs of pork shoulder (900 g), boneless
- 2 cups of chicken broth (480 ml)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
To serve with:
- Lettuce leaves, to wrap
- Lime wedges, to serve
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Mix the olive oil, oregano, lime juice, cumin powder, chili powder, paprika, orange juice, salt and pepper together.
- Place the pork shoulder into the slow cooker and pour the mixture and rub in.
- Set the slow cooker to cook for 8 hours on low heat.
- When it’s ready, remove the meat and any onions from the slow cooker.
- Shred the meat and season with extra salt to taste.
- Enjoy with the lettuce wraps, lime wedges, and chopped cilantro.
Notes
All nutritional data are estimated and based on per serving amounts.
Nutrition
- Calories: 538
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fat: 36 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g