I’ve never been to Mexico. I’ve never even been to a state that borders Mexico. I’m so far removed from Mexican culture that people from my area celebrate Cinco de Mayo by sipping on buy-one-get-one-free margaritas at Chili’s.
Drinking tequila and eating tacos at a chain restaurant is a weird way to celebrate Mexico’s underdog victory over the French during the Franco-Mexican War, but in America we need very little reason to throw a party.
I need very little reason to eat (authentic) Mexican food whenever I can get it. No Mexican dish speaks to me more than carnitas, meaning “little meats.” Usually a pork butt or shoulder cooked in lard, carnitas is a dish offering layers of satisfying elements – crispy, yet succulent; greasy, yet clean-flavored; simple, yet rich.
My recipe for carnitas in the crock pot is less than traditional but tastes authentic (and better than anything on the menu at Chili’s). I like mine with corn tortillas, some onion, a squeeze of lime, and good salsa.
Local pork butt fromWhole Foods
Cinco de Mayo Carnitas in the Crock Pot
1 3-4 pound local pork butt (bone-in)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large white onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (canned), seeds removed and minced
3 tablespoons adobo sauce from the canned chipotle peppers
2 cups chicken stock (or water)
Corn tortillas
Lime wedges
Whatever toppings you like
Salsa, lime, onions, and white cheddar cheese – my favorite simple toppings
Generously salt and pepper all sides of the pork butt, then slather with the adobo sauce and the minced garlic. Mix together the cumin, smoked paprika, and chipotle powder. Rub these seasonings into the pork butt. Place the sliced onion, minced chipotle peppers and chicken stock in the bottom of a crock pot. Place the pork butt on top.
Ready to go
Turn the crock pot on low and cook for 6 to 8 hours or until the pork is fall-off-the-bone tender. Remove from the crock pot and shred with a fork.
Ready for shredding
Place the shredded meat onto a baking sheet and douse with a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid. Broil for 5 to 7 minutes, until the meat is crispy and browned on the edges.
Ready for the broiler
Serve with corn tortillas and your favorite toppings. (Oh, and don’t let those onions left in the crock pot go to waste!)
Happy Cinco de Mayo! (Make this instead of going to Chili’s. Please.)
Rachel's Table 
Ole!!! This looks SPECTACULAR (was it your own recipe or did you find the one you were looking for?) – I love the broiler step, that makes perfect sense, but I never would have thought of doing that.
I was wondering what you did to the onions in the ‘toppings’ pic, but then you answered my question – they were from the crock pot! Y-u-um. We might have to incorporate this meal into our August Pepper Show-Down!
The recipe I lost was my own recipe (typically written on the back of an envelope because I’m so organized). But I found it. And there was much fanfare.
I thought I was brilliant for thinking of the broiler idea! But google told me the entire recipe world already knows this trick.
So excited for the Pepper-off!!! August will be here before we know it.
Looks and sounds delicious. How spicy is it? (Jim loves peppers, the hotter the better, but I don’t like smoke to oome out my ears when I eat)
This was so good! If you get rid of the seeds and lessen the chipotle powder it won’t be too spicy at all. It’s got a good, smokey flavor.
The kids would love it too!
Muy bueno, mi gringa amiga. Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
Gracias, mi amigo!
I use the crockpot for cooking pork too. It comes out perfectly! I really like the way you broil the meat. I need to try that. Crispy carnitas are the best!
I never use the oven for pork shoulder/butt. The crock pot does such a nice job.
Try the broiling method–you won’t be disappointed, especially if you love some crispy pork!
Great recipe. This is right up my alley. Crushed pineapple makes a great topping for chipotle based pork tacos. Pork shoulder is such a tasty cut, these tacos must have been delicious.
So, so delicious. I ate way too much.
That’s a great idea! A local taco place has a pineapple salsa that’s to die for – I love the combination of sweet, spicy, and savory.
I would just like to say that Peppermeister got back from the grocery store this morning with a ‘bone in pork butt’ and I thought to myself, “He must’ve seen Rache’s post!” I asked him what he was going to make and he said, “Thai blah blah blah blah.”
Though I explained it was Cinco de Mayo, he did not budge. Dinner is in 15 minutes. I am not looking forward to it.
Dang, Jules, I’m a little offended – both for myself and for cinco de mayo celebrators everywhere.
Me too, Rache. Me too.
P.S. – He regrets his decision already.
He should. That is all.
I thought of this in the middle of the night – “it’s not cinco de THAI-o” I felt it was too brilliant not to share.
Haaa. Oh Rache.
We enjoy Mexican food for about 80% of our meals. My defiant personality would not allow me to join the masses on 5-5.
You are forgiven but only because you are a true original.
Oh man! This looks phenomenal. I so wish I had this recipe before today, and before the hubs went and bought a bunch of Mexican fixings for our own Cinco de Mayo meal. Not sure exactly what he’s making, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t involve pork butt, and for once, no crock pot! Like I said, it would have been good to have this before. But it won’t stop me from suggesting this for some other Sunday, nosireebob! Yummy.
Great looking recipe! I especially like the browning of the meat after it is shredded – a nice touch that I’m sure will be hit here. Thanks.
The browning makes the dish! Nothing better than crispy pork. 🙂
Yum!! Looks amazing! I’m on the countdown to Mexico. . . 3 weeks and I will be able to stuff myself full of authentic Mexican food.
What’s bringing you to Mexico? Vacation? Lucky you!
Vacation! I am visiting friends in LA on my way to see my best friend and her Mexican fiancee for 2 weeks. So excited! First time to the US and Mexico 😀
Right on! I’ve never been to LA, but we plan to visit California and Seattle this year. Have a blast!
I love carnitas. YUM. How is it, though, that I’m the only juvenile giggling about the pork bone in butt? Oh, wait. Jules and Pep are with me. Good. Seriously. Why would they print that??? It reminds me of a story about meeting someone at a friend’s party … This guy kept talking about some fabulous chunk-o-meat that he recently BBQ’d known as “Brown Eye.” Yes, he was referring to RIB EYE steaks but he kept saying BROWN EYE. I hope to gawd he wasn’t grilling brown eye. Eeeeew. Anyway, he must have said it 100 times. The Hubs and I went from snickering, to giggling to just plain roaring with laughter (the really rude kind of laugh AT you laughter). This guy’s name turned out to be Chad Brown, and lived around the corner from the party spot. We started, wait, STILL, call him Chad BrownEYE from around the corner. AND, we laugh. I’m sure he hates us. I’m still laughing. p.s. Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
Bone In Pork Butt is a tasty treat! 😉
I haven’t had a good BROWN, I mean, RIB eye in a long time. Poor guy. Haha. And what a sad coincidence that his last name is actually Brown.
hee hee … I’m still laughing. Soooo mature.
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