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Kid-Friendly Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Tacos - Copycat Antique Taco recipe

Easy family-friendly pork carnitas recipe for tasty tacos that will please both the kids and foodies.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Slow cooker
Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt you can add more per taste but I think the bacon topping makes it salty enough
  • 2.5 pounds boneless pork butt shoulder or 3 pounds bone-in trim off excess fat
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup bottled lime juice or juice from 2 fresh limes
  • 6 ” Tortillas
  • Bacon cooked and crumbled
  • Kale or spinach cut into long thin strips
  • Queso fresco or mild feta cheese in a pinch
  • 
Avocado cubed

Instructions
 

  • First, buy the best quality pork butt shoulder or pork shoulder that you can and trim off as much fat as you can. Trust me, there will be enough fat on it even if you trim some off.
  • Mix the spices and salt together and rub it all over the pork and place it in the slow cooker. I like to pour the orange juice and lime juice around the sides to keep the spices on the pork. Then I add minced garlic to the juice.
  • I recommend slow cooking on low for 8 hours -- or cooking it on high for 4 hours if you're short on time but know that it won't be as good. You'll cook it about 25 to 30 minutes in the Instant Pot.
  • Remove any bone and any large chunks of fat. Then shred the pork using forks and warm for another 30 minutes. Taste the pork and add any more salt that you'd like to taste.
  • When you're ready to eat, you can crisp up the pork; I think this is optional but it is nice to have some crispy pork bits texture in the tacos. My son Liam prefers his pork not crispy so you'll want to test it with your kids. Only crisp what you're planning to eat immediately. I cover a baking sheet with foil, put enough pork on it for dinner, and store the rest of the pork for leftovers (we like to make pork nachos).
  • At the same time, put the tortillas into the oven (on the side rather than under the broiler) to warm them up a bit.
  • Now it's time to make a pork carnitas taco like the ones at Antique Taco. Put a tortilla down first, then layer on the pork and add toppings - small pieces of bacon, queso fresco, sliced avocado and spinach. Drizzle with a wedge of lime.