Slow Cooker Carnitas Tacos

It doesn’t have to be Taco Tuesday or Cinco de Mayo for us to serve tacos, and we love this version from Alston and Leigh, the Greenwich Moms behind Habitual Hostess, one of our favorite new Instagram follows. Their beautiful feed has ideas for making every day feel special, including these Slow Cooker Carnitas. “We love this recipe because you can throw everything into the crockpot in the morning! And after a long day of work/errands/carpool, you can have this meal from crockpot to plate in less than ten minutes,” says Leigh. Plus, tacos are a great tool for dealing with reluctant eaters. “Even if everyone is not on board with tacos, your picky eater is sure to find at least one element to love (cheese, avocado, salsa, tortilla),” says Alston. Stay tuned for our Meet a Mom interview with this talented duo!

Slow Cooker Carnitas

Serves 8

1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 Tablespoons avocado oil
4 pound pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 cup orange juice, preferably fresh squeezed
2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 lime

1. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Season pork shoulder generously with kosher salt, then with spice mixture.
2. Heat avocado oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sear pork shoulder 3-5 minutes per side until there is a nice crust all over.
3. Place garlic, onions, orange juice, lime juice, chicken broth, bay leaf and seasoned pork shoulder into a slower cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
4. Remove pork shoulder from the slow cooker and shred the meat before returning to the pot with the juices; season with salt to taste and the juice of one lime.
5. Preheat oven to broil. Place carnitas onto a baking sheet and broil until crisp and crusted, about 3-4 minutes.
6. Serve with pickled onions, sliced avocado and a sprinkle of cilantro.