Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder (For Pulled Pork & Carnitas) + VIDEO

Step 1

Pat the pork shoulder dry and cut it into two pieces, making sure to avoid the bone. Combine the spice rub ingredients and rub all over the pork, getting in every nook and cranny. Put both pieces of the pork shoulder in the slow cooker with the fat cap facing up. Place the onion and garlic around the pork and pour in the chicken broth. Quarter the orange and lime and squeeze both of their juices into the cooker. Stick the spent orange wedges in with the onion & garlic, but discard the lime.

Step 2

Cook the pork either on low for 8 hours OR on high for 5-6 hours OR until the meat is fall-apart tender. The cook time will vary based on the weight of your pork and the size/temperature of your slow cooker, so it's best to check it after about six hours on low and 4 hours on high just to see how it's doing. You'll know it's done when you stick a fork into the meat and it takes barely any effort to fall apart; however, you can also use a meat thermometer to see that it's reached a minimum of 190 degrees internally.

Step 3

Remove the pork from the slow cooker and let it cool for a few minutes, then shred the meat with two forks, making sure to pick out and discard any chunks of fat that remain (like the fat cap). At this point, you'll have a lot of meat and several cups of cooking liquid (approximately 4 1/2 cups of shredded meat & 2 cups of liquid for a 4 lb roast). Don't throw away the liquid! It's full of flavor + yummy fat and helps to keep the meat moist. (See notes below for what to do with it).

Step 4

Store extra pork in the fridge (it'll give you meals for the next week) and consume within 5-6 days, otherwise, mix the leftovers with the rest of the cooking liquid and freeze in an airtight container (I use ziplock bags smooshed flat to take up less space).