Slow Cooker Carnitas Taco Bowls w/ Mango Salsa

Slow-cooker carnitas are SUPER easy to make and extremely versatile! I like throwing everything in a big bowl but you can totally use this recipe when making tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or even throwing the carnitas in a quesadilla and serving the mango salsa on the side!

I love this recipe because you throw in the pork in the morning and let it cook alllll day. Then when you’re ready to eat you simply whip up the salsa, make some rice, serve, and enjoy!

Okay, let’s keep the chatting short and sweet and get to cooking!

Slow Cooker Carnitas Taco Bowls w/ Mango Salsa (yields ~4 large servings)

Ingredients:

for the slow cooker carnitas:

• 3-4 lbs. pork shoulder

• 1 white onion, quartered

• 1 orange, halved

• your favorite taco seasoning (I use Siete)

• salt & pepper

• avocado oil

for the mango salsa:

• 1 mango, diced

• 2 roma tomatoes, diced

• ¼ white onion, finely diced

• 3 or 4 avocados, cubed

• 1 jalapeño, finely diced (omit if you don’t like it spicy)

• fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1 tsp. cumin

• salt & pepper to season

Instructions:

1. in the morning: bring a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. pat dry pork shoulder and season w/ salt & pepper. add avocado oil to hot skillet and sear pork shoulder on all sides until brown (~3-4 minutes/side). transfer pork shoulder to your crockpot with onion, orange, and taco seasoning of choice. cook on low for 7 hours

2. ~30 minutes before you’re ready to eat: prep the mango salsa by dicing up all your ingredients and adding them to a mixing bowl. add in cilantro, fresh lime juice, cumin, and salt & pepper and toss to combine (this is also the time you’d prepare your rice, quinoa, tortillas, or whatever you want to add to your bowls!)

3. to get your pork nice & crispy (don’t worry, it’ll still be tender/juicy): shred meat in the crockpot and transfer to a cast iron skillet (onion included). broil on high for two minutes—this helps the pork get that nice “char” on it without making it tough or dry!

4. now you’re ready to plate! arrange taco bowls however you like—garnish freshly chopped cilantro, a lime wedge, a few chips, whatever you like! serve & enjoy!

notes:

• you can serve this with rice, tortillas, quinoa, or over a bed of crispy lettuce!

• my favorite chips to eat with quac, salsa, and especially these taco bowls are these— they’re gluten-free, corn-free, soy-free, grain-free, paleo, and made with minimal ingredients!

make sure to tag @finewithfood when making any of my recipes!!