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Crockpot Carnitas Al Pastor With Pineapple Pico

This Crockpot Carnitas Al Pastor With Pineapple Pico recipe is super tasty and bound to be a household hit. Made with melt-in-your-mouth pork and juicy pineapple pico, it makes for a delish dinner situation and/or a great leftover lunch. Enjoy!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6 - 8
Author Rachael DeVaux

Equipment

  • Crockpot or Slow Cooker

Ingredients

For the Pork:

  • 3.5 - 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder
  • 3 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 3 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 white onion peeled and quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken bone broth I like Kettle & Fire
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (1 orange)
  • 1/4 cup fresh pineapple juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 lime)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos

For the Pineapple Pico:

  • 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
  • 1/4 cup minced red onion
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (1 lime)
  • Pinch of salt

To Serve:

  • Siete Foods Tortillas warmed (I like their cassava tortillas)
  • Diced avocado

Instructions

For the Pork:

  • Cut the pork shoulder into 3 even pieces. Pat the meat dry with a paper towel, and season liberally with salt, dried oregano, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder. Make sure all sides are coated.
  • Turn your Crockpot to the “sauté” function. Once hot, add the avocado oil and the pork shoulder, searing for about 1 minute per side until all sides of the pork are browned.
    *If your crockpot doesn’t have the “sauté” function, sear the pork shoulder in a medium pan over medium heat and transfer the pork shoulder into the Crockpot once browned on all sides.
  • Turn the crockpot to “high”. To the Crockpot, add in the onion, garlic, bone broth, orange juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, and coconut aminos. The pork shoulder should be covered about 1/2” way up its side. Put the lid back on the Crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours (or low for 6-8 hours), flipping the meat over occasionally, until the pork is so tender that it immediately shreds when pressed with a fork.
  • Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to a baking sheet. Using the same spoon, remove the onions from the cooking liquid and discard. Using two forks, shred the pork, removing and discarding any large pieces of fat. Transfer the pork back to the Crockpot and toss to combine, letting the pork soak up all of the juices. Keep the Crockpot on “warm” until ready to serve.

For the Pineapple Pico:

  • Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, add the pineapple, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.

To Serve and Store:

  • Using tongs, add the pork to warmed tortillas, letting any excess juice drip off before assembling your taco. Top with Pineapple Pico, diced avocado, and cilantro.
  • Store leftover pork and Pineapple Pico, separately, in airtight containers in the fridge. Enjoy the pork within 3-4 days, and the pico within 2-3 days.