Slow Cooker Mexican Carnitas
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These mouthwatering Slow Cooker Mexican Carnitas are absolutely amazing and rival any restaurant carnitas.
Looking for an easy recipe that can be cooking all day while you’re at work or out and about running errands? These crock pot carnitas are not only delicious, they are a life saver on those busy nights when you need something to feed your family!

My husband and son absolutely love carnitas and orders them typically when we go out to Mexican – which is a weekly event for us. So when I came across a slow cooker Mexican style meet in Allrecipes magazine I knew I had to make them stat!

I love slow cooker recipes because they allow me to feel more prepared for dinner.
It’s inevitable, I get home from picking my kids up from school, get busy unloading bookbags, lunch boxes, signing planners and more and then before you know it, it’s dinner and I try to rush to get something tasty put together.
And with three kids, that’s not an easy task! Finding something that everyone will eat!

When I make these carnitas, I start them in the morning after I get home from dropping my kids off at school. Then I allow them to cook all day in the crock pot, making my house smell amazing!
By the time dinner time rolls around, I’m ready to rock and roll serving up an extra delicious dinner that even my kiddos love!

Ingredients
- chuck roast
- boneless beef chuck roast
- onions
- poblano peppers
- hot sauce
- spices – cayenne pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper
- water
I prefer to use a Slow Cooker for this recipe, however, if you get a late start on making these Mexican carnitas, then you can use a dutch oven like this one that I use.
How To Make Crock Pot Carnitas

I served my carnitas on a flour tortilla shell fried in just a little bit of oil in a skillet to make it a tad crispy. Then I loaded them up with the shredded beef, diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, cotija cheese and sliced radishes. Yes, radishes!!! They added such a great flavor to the carnitas!
These carnitas taste wonderful with Cilantro Lime Rice.
Slow Cooker Mexican Carnitas Recipe
- 1 – 4lb boneless beef chuck roast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onions (about 2 onions)
- 1 1/4 cups diced poblano peppers
- 1 – 5oz bottle of hot sauce (I used Texas Pete’s)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 cups water
- -Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, brown roast on both sides
- -Transfer roast to slow cooker
- -Top with remaining ingredients
- -Cook on high for 6 hours, keeping eye on how fast the meat is cooking. It should easily pull apart/shred
- Serve on corn tortillas with quest fresco cheese, sliced radishes, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, and fresh lime juice

If you’re a fan of crock pot recipes using chuck roast, then you will also love these crock-pot beef sandwiches that I make! – another killer recipe!

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