Cooking the Pork in the Slow Cooker

• Place the seasoned pork shoulder into the slow cooker, on top of the onion, garlic, and citrus juices. Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set the temperature on low for 8 hours. If you're short on time, you can also set it to high for 4 to 5 hours. The long, slow cooking process is what makes the pork so tender, as the flavors have plenty of time to develop.

  As the pork cooks, the meat will release its juices and soak up all the aromatic flavors from the seasonings, garlic, onion, and citrus. The result is incredibly juicy, flavorful pork that just falls apart when you shred it.
• Once the cooking time is up, carefully remove the pork from the slow cooker. The meat should be so tender that it practically falls apart on its own. Use two forks to shred the pork into bite-sized pieces, making sure to discard any excess fat. The shredded pork should be moist and full of flavor from all the juices in the slow cooker.
• After shredding the pork, return the meat to the slow cooker along with the juices. Stir it all together so that the shredded pork is fully coated with the flavorful liquid. At this point, you can taste the carnitas and add more salt or pepper if needed, adjusting the seasoning to your liking.
• Preheat your oven’s broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, then spread about half of the shredded pork evenly on the sheet. Place the baking sheet under the broiler and cook the pork for about 3 to 4 minutes or until it starts to crisp up and develop a beautiful golden-brown crust. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn. Repeat with the second batch of shredded pork.

  The broiled pork will now have the perfect crispy edges while retaining its juicy, tender interior. This combination of textures is what makes carnitas so unique!