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Who doesn’t love Taco Tuesday?!? Take your taco game up a notch by making this easy Slow Cooker Ancho Chile Carnitas recipe for dinner tonight! Plus check out my cookbook review of The Tex-Mex Slow Cooker: 100 Delicious Recipes for Easy Everyday Meals!

Slow Cooker Ancho Chile Carnitas Recipe

Who doesn’t love Taco Tuesday?!? Take your taco game up a notch by making this easy Slow Cooker Ancho Chile Carnitas recipe for dinner tonight! Plus check out my cookbook review of The Tex-Mex Slow Cooker: 100 Delicious Recipes for Easy Everyday Meals!
Course Entree, Main Course
Prep Time 15 minutes
8 hours and 5 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings 10 people
Author Heather H. of Kitchen Concoctions: https://www.kitchen-concoctions.com

Ingredients

  • 4 ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
  • Water, as needed
  • 1 (4-5 pound) boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
  • 1 teaspoon each kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 (12-ounce) can cola or root beer , (beef broth may be substituted)
  • 1 lime, juiced and zested
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • --
  • For serving:
  • Corn or flour tortillas
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Queso fresco, crumbled
  • Radishes, sliced

Instructions

  1. Place ancho chiles in a microwave safe bowl and cover completely in water. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Remove from microwave and set aside for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, place pork shoulder in a large 6-8-quart slow cooker. Season pork on all sides with salt, black pepper, cumin and oregano.
  3. Pour chiles and soaking water, cola, lime juice and zest, onion, garlic, and bay leaves over pork. Top pork with the cilantro. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-9 hours or until the pork shreds easily with a fork. Using two forks or tongs, shred the pork directly in the slow cooker.
  4. Preheat broiler to high heat and line two sheet pans with aluminum foil. Using tongs or a slotted spoon transfer shredded pork to the sheet pans. Broil pork for 3-5 minutes or until the edges of the pork become crispy.
  5. Place pork in a serving bowl and ladle some of the cooking liquid over the pork. Serve pork in tortillas with fresh cilantro, queso fresco and radish slices; if desired.

Recipe Notes

recipe adapted from The Tex-Mex Slow Cooker: 100 Delicious Recipes for Easy Everyday Meals