This recipe for Shredded Pork Tenderloin Carnitas is seasoned with warming spices and chipotle peppers. Slow-cooked in a crockpot and then finished under the oven broiler, this approach results in perfectly seasoned juicy and tender pulled meat with irresistibly crispy edges. It’s the perfect filling for tacos!
I’m sure we can agree that there is something inexplicably intoxicating about carnitas. Traditionally carnitas is made with a fatty cut of meat like pork butt or pork shoulder, and the extra fat is part of what gives it that enticing mix of juiciness and crisp concentrated flavor.
The grease dripping out the backend of the taco is part of the whole experience… but it doesn’t have to be. Pork tenderloin is leaner and, if done right, makes an equally good carnitas taco. Don’t worry, it’s still just as fall-apart tender as the original!
In the past, I would just make carnitas roasted in a dutch oven but this is now my favorite way. To get the right texture, you have to slow roast it. The problem is you can’t safely leave your oven on all day when you’re not home so this ruled out carnitas for a weeknight taco night.
The crockpot broiler combo is the magic solution. The broiler makes it perfectly crisp without the slow roast process. The prep couldn’t be simpler too. Other recipes require searing the meat first, there’s no need when you use the broiler to crisp it up after. Add everything to the crockpot the night before and then just pull it from the fridge and turn the crockpot on before leaving for work for an easy weeknight meal.
Serve tacos with a good salad with cilantro lime dressing to round out the meal. Or you can make my simple cilantro lime red cabbage taco slaw which acts as both a veggie side dish and filler for your tacos!
If you’re looking for other crockpot taco recipes, my crockpot shredded chicken tacos and are phenomenal too!
Featured Review
First time on this website but I will be back because truly Love this recipe. So tasty exactly the way it is. I love the crock pot idea to. Just throw everything in and let it do it’s thing, which it did for 6 hours and the tenderloin was perfectly tender and ready to shred. I think the broiler was an excellent idea too and the pork crisped up just enough. I also made the marinated red onions with jalapeños and that plus a few slices of mini red and yellow peppers and sour cream were the toppings we used. Delicious! This recipe is a keeper.
– David Camorali
Ingredients
It is such an easy recipe to make. I’m not just saying that, it truly is. Half of the ingredients are just spices that you can quickly dump in. The image below shows what you’ll need and spices are in the following picture. A full list of ingredients is in the recipe card.
How to make pork tenderloin carnitas tacos
Using a crock pot makes this shredded pork tenderloin a breeze to make.
- Add ingredients to a crockpot
- Set to cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. Lower cook time works better in my opinion since the meat has more time to simmer in it’s own juices.
- Shred the pork roast with two forks, adjust seasonings to your preference and let it simmer another half hour.
- Use slotted spoon to lay the pork out on a large baking sheet and broil the shredded taco meat until it gets crisp.
- Stir in fresh cilantro and serve right away with your favorite taco fixings!
Alternative Cooking Methods
To make pork tenderloin carnitas in the oven, place ingredients into a dutch oven. Rub the pork loin with some olive oil before placing it in the center. Bake covered at 300° F for 2.5 – 3.5 hours and then, shred and crisp on a sheet pan and follow the rest of this recipe’s instructions. Don’t be tempted to bake uncovered! The cut is too lean for this and will dry out.
To make it in an Instant Pot carnitas recipe, add ingredients to pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. Let pressure cooker natural release and then shred and crisp up in oven following the rest of the recipe instructions.
Can I skip broiling at the end?
Totally! It won’t have crispy little burnt ends but it will still be delicious. The flavor is there whether it’s crispy or not. That being said, do yourself a favor and crisp it up! It will taste much better.
The texture and added flavor from the broiling is totally worth the few minutes and pan it takes to get truly crispy carnitas. Line with aluminum foil or do what I do and just soak the pan right away for easy clean up.
Storage and Freezing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, let cool completely and freeze in airtight freezer safe containers for up to 3 months. Let defrost in the refrigerator overnight or on defrost setting in microwave making sure to stir often.
What to use carnitas for
I use pork tenderloin carnitas on anything and everything from traditional Mexican food to omelette filling. Leftovers reheat well and it freezes fabulously making it great for meal prep. Here are some ways to use the taco meat:
- enchiladas
- burritos
- tacos, taco salads or taco bowls
- toastadas
- burrito bowls
- huevos rancheros
- omelettes or scrambles
- quesadillas (check out my easy air fryer quesadillas!)
- nachos
Pork Tenderloin Carnitas Tacos (Crockpot)
Equipment
- 1 Crockpot or slow cooker
- 1 Baking sheet or rimmed pan
- 2 Forks
Ingredients
- 2 lb. pork tenderloin (2-2.5 lbs. is best, may need two tenderloins for this)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 – 2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, finely chopped (about 1 Tbsp., can use 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder instead)
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 cup light beer (Optional – I use pacifico or corona)
- 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro (Optional)
Instructions
- Place pork tenderloins in crock-pot and sprinkle with spices. Add chilis, lime juice, and orange juice.
- Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or high for about 4 hours. Pork should be easily shreddable when done.
- Use two forks to shred pork, adjust seasoning level if desired and simmer another half hour.
- Preheat broiler and transfer shredded pork to a baking sheet, spread out in a medium-thin layer, leaving any juices in the crock-pot.
- Broil on low for about 5 minutes until it starts to get crisp but is not burnt or dried out. Remove pork and toss with reserved cooking liquid to moisten.
- Stir in fresh cilantro and serve with taco fixings or over Mexican flavored rice. Taco fixing ideas: pickled red onions, queso fresco, salsa, cheese, lime, guacamole, tomato, lettuce, black olives or whatever else you prefer.
Notes
- The recipe was revised in 2016 to remove beer since it wasn’t necessary. After testing the recipe again in 2022, I added this back in as optional since I like the addition and think it helps with moisture, but the recipe is still fine without it.
- To make in an Instant Pot, add ingredients to pressure cooker and cook on high for 35 minutes. Let pressure release naturally and then shred and crisp up in oven following the rest of the recipe instructions as if it had been cooked in a crockpot.
- To make in the oven, place ingredients into a dutch oven or dish covered in foil, rubbing the pork with olive oil before placing it in the center. Bake covered at 300° F for 2.5 – 3.5 hours and then crisp on a sheet pan and follow the rest of this recipe’s instructions.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze let cool completely and freeze in airtight freezer safe containers for up to 3 months. Let defrost in the refrigerator overnight or on defrost setting in microwave making sure to stir often.
Nutrition
did you make this recipe?
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Recipe originally published in 2014, revised in May 2019 to make the beer optional and add new pictures, then revised again in February 2023 for content.
Comments & Reviews
First time on this website but I will be back because truly Love this recipe. So tasty exactly the way it is. I love the crock pot idea to. Just throw everything in and let it do it’s thing, which it did for 6 hours and the tenderloin was perfectly tender and ready to shred. I think the broiler was an excellent idea too and the pork crisped up just enough. I also made the marinated red onions with jalapeños and that plus a few slices of mini red and yellow peppers and sour cream were the toppings we used. Delicious! This recipe is a keeper.
Thank you! I love that you love it too!
First time at this website and it was spot on easy and delicious! Made the pickled red onions too. Bueno!
So happy you liked both of those recipes! Its a winning combo! 🙂
This recipe is so amazing. Thank you-my family loves it and I cannot wait to pass this recipe along and I will follow you for further recipes and inspirations.
Thank you for the kind comment! My family loves this one too! 🙂
I have made this several times now and it is so delicious. I have also made it using chicken and it was just as yummy! Every recipe I have made from this site has been delicious!
Ooh, I’ve never tried this one with chicken but love that idea! And thank you, I love hearing that people like cooking my recipes!
Hello! Do you have a recommendation for best liquid to use, if you don’t have orange juice on hand?
Just chicken or veggie broth should be fine. If you want it to be tangier at the end, you can add a little more lime juice. 🙂
Made this tonight for the first time! Amazing! The Mexican Coke really adds a nice dimension. My family, from a 7 year old to my 95 year old Mom, just loved it. Thought there would be leftovers…nope! Thanks so much for this great recipe!
Hi Angelica! This recipe doesn’t have Mexican Coke… did you sub that in for something else or perhaps you’re thinking of another recipe? Either way, happy to hear your family found a meal you all love. 🙂
I agree 100%, Mexican coke also goes well with strippers too!!
Few comments make me actually laugh out loud, but you got me on this one
Lol. You can sub soda for the beer. She used the Mexican Coke a Cola, it contains cane sugar and is very good. Dr Pepper works well too with pork. I used the Spindrift sparkling water with lime, no added sugar. It was superb. I also used the McCormick Carne Asada packet since I had it on hand. Sautéed onions in the instant pot then seared the seasoned pork before slow cooking. I used some of the juices to cook the rice too. It was like eating out at a restaurant. Yum. Great, easy recipe.
Made this twice so far and it is our family’s new favorite recipe – BURSTING WITH FLAVOR!! (I did add more lime juice). AMAZING!!!! Thank you for sharing!
I love that! That’s fantastic you’re all liking it so much!
The food was delicious thanks to the recipe
Made this for the first time today – it was absolutely perfect! Thank you!!
I have followed your recipe correctly. My family is really like it. thanks you!
Awesome! I love to hear that!
I am making this recipe this weekend. Some comments people added beer or water. The recipe does not call for either. Do I add any liquid besides the lime juice or orange juice?
Thank you and anxious to make it!
Hi Rebecca! I actually changed the recipe at one point to take the extra liquid out since I realized it wasn’t needed. I tested it both ways again and it didn’t seem to hurt but didn’t help so I left it out when I revised the recipe awhile back. Did you make it? If you did, I hope it turned out great for you!
I accidentally read this as two cans of adobo …. whew its spicy. Rice and sour cream and cheese to cut the spice! holy cow… all diced up and at full power :P. Very tasty will do with chicken next time, I am not a huge pork fan… but cheese and pickled onions and crema take this to the next level! Delicious marinade … I am notorious for misreading next time I will probably stick to 2 cans for the sauce, and 2 chilis for the spice! Luckily I had 3lb pork loin 🙂
Haha, sounds spicy! I’m relieved to hear I’m not the only one that does stuff like this in the kitchen though. I’m always reading recipes wrong!
Do you think this recipe would be okay if made with a 4lb and just adding a little extra time to the crock pot?!
Oh heck yeah! It might take a little longer and more seasoning but you can always adjust at the end until it tastes right. Hope it turns out delicious!
This was a hit! Easy and delicious. We didn’t have tortillas, so we made rice bowls with the pork. My family loved it. I will definitely be making this again.
Rice bowls are one of my favorite ways to use the pork! We eat some kind of rice bowls at least once a month. Its my go-to, don’t know what to make for dinner meal. 🙂
Hi Christy, do you make mexican rice? If so, can you share your recipe please?
Hi Sarah – I do make it but don’t have a specific recipe I follow and normally wing it. I’ll write down what I do next time though and post it on the site with a link from this recipe so everyone can find it easily. 🙂
In the meantime – this one looks pretty great! https://lilluna.com/food-tutorial-spanish-rice/
Can this be made in an instantpot? Thanks!
Hi Melissa – I’m sure it can but haven’t tested it yet. If you give it a go, come back and let me know how it turned out and what you did!
I stumbled across this recipe while looking for ideas for Mexican pork tenderloin and I am so glad I found it. It tastes amazing. Even the six year old who got whiny at the thought of pork tacos for dinner cleaned his plate. I recently purchased some Spice Hunter Smoky Chile rub and used that in place of the chili powder and adobo plus added some lime and orange zest to the seasoning. A side of black beans with bell pepper, red onion and garlic and we had a quick, easy dinner for a school night.
Looove the sound of that smoky chili rub! Going to have to check that out. If getting a six year old to eat is anything like getting my two year old to try something new, I absolutely understand and am so happy he loved the recipe too!
Made this tonight exactly as the recipe says, and my family loved it! Served it with chopped onions,guacamole, salsa and sour cream. Delicious!!
That’s so wonderful! Getting a new recipe the whole family enjoys can be such a challenge and I’m honored mine is a favorite at your table!
Any suggestions on how to make in the oven?
I haven’t tried it so this is just a best guess, but I’d put the tenderloin and other ingredients in a baking dish, cover tightly with tin foil, and bake on the lowest heat your oven will do, low and slow. If you try it, come back and let me know how it turns out!
Hey Christy! I made it in a Dutch oven at 250 for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Sooooo goooood! Turned out really well. Thanks!
Oh great! I always like to hear when other cooking methods work for a recipe!
Been doing keto for a few months and needed to get some new dishes into my rotation. It must have been a sign that I just purchased a tenderloin! I made this today as part of my meal prep-wish I had the chiles but used the extra chile powder instead. Came out great! I have my “taco salads” for the week and I’m ready to go. Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks for reporting back on the recipe Nancy. I have a few friends doing Keto that have been making this one too! 🙂
I followed the directions exactly, any family loved it! We served cilantro lime rice and pico …. excellent!
That’s great to hear Michelle! It’s one we make quite a bit around here. 🙂
Do you have specifications for instant pot pressure cooking?
I haven’t tried it in the Instant Pot yet but will certainly add instructions for it when I do. Did you end up trying it? If you do, let me know how it works for you!
Instant pot & tenderloin:
Unbelievable! I was hoping for leftovers but it ALL went! After setting out the meat for 20 minutes before cooking per your directions, I rolled the tenderloin in oil then used dry ingredients as a rub, seared the pork in a little oil in the instant pot on sauté 2-3 min per side, added OJ, lime juice, chilies in adobo sauce & beer….Set on high 3 min then let the pressure naturally release for 12 minutes. I let the meat rest for 5 minutes before trying to shred. The meat didn’t shred, but thinly sliced, it was tender, flavorful & absolutely fantastic! Great flavor & very versatile for numerous dishes. Love, love, love your recipe!! Mexican coleslaw, caramelized onions, shredded cheese, mango salsa & sour cream toppings were offered to layer in flour tortillas. This meal was devoured! I will definitely be making this again.
Yes, to shred the meat has to be over cooked. I love the idea of not doing that and slicing though! Sounds delicious in a whole different way!
Great recipe! I cooked the tenderloin in the crick pot for 6 hrs. You must, must shred it and broiler. It comes out crispy but still moist.
Add fresh lime, onion and cilantro and perfection.
Thank you!
Great idea – I love your addition of lime and onion! 🙂
Have them seasoned in the pan , will put them on my pellet smker for 4-5 hours! Looking forward to this!
That sounds incredible! I hope the smoker didn’t dry them out though! Tenderloin is so lean, I’ve never tried it in the smoker. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
If you crutch it (wrap it in foil) when it reaches a internal temperature of 160’ than add the orange and lime juice it will make it fall apart.
Sounds deeelicious! Trying that next time I make this. 🙂
I made my pork tenderloin in a crock pot, cut into 4 pieces, with bay leaves, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, onion, soy sauce and a small cup of water on high. We will definitely toast it in a cast-iron skillet to brown and toast.
Toasting in a cast iron skillet sounds next level delicious! Gonna have to try that soon!
Excellent, great flavors and so easy to make.
I love this recipe too! Mmm… might have to make it again next week. 🙂
Excellent !
I had one pork tenderloin so I cut the ingredients in half and rubbed on the pork. I added a little coconut oil in the bottom of my slow cooker, very small amount and put the pork tenderloin. Squeezed 1 tangerine (juice) on top. Put the lid on and cooked it on low for 5.5 hours. When I was ready I shredded it and through it in my cast iron pan to really brown it. It was perfect. My husband and I loved it. He took the rest this morning on his sandwich. I did not have any Cilantro so I used a couple tsp dried. This was perfect. Will definitely do again. Thank you !
Woohoo! You’ve inspired me to make it again this week! I love the idea of using a cast iron skillet too – definitely giving that a go. 🙂
This is my go-to carnitas recipe. Definitely better with beer rather than water 🙂 So good and I like that it uses a leaner cut of pork.
So happy to hear it! I love this one too! 🙂
Can I use a boneless pork loin instead of a tenderloin?!
I don’t think it would be the same but might work okay. A pork loin is a completely different cut of meat than a tenderloin and I’m honestly not sure how well it shreds. If you try it report back and let the rest of us know how it worked!
This was just amazing. I used the big crockpot, and somehow bought a package of 2 1lb tenderloins in it. I mixed all the dry ingredients and made a rub. I put both pieces in the bottom of the pot and they fit perfectly. I then added in the other wet ingredients, but I only used a half cup of beer. The meat was blocking all the goodness right in the middle so I moved the pork until all the OJ and beer was level at the bottom. It never covered more than 1/4 of the meat. After about 8 hours I checked with a fork and they fell apart. The meat soaked up all of it perfectly. To crisp it up a bit I do it like it’s stir fry right on the stove. This is the real deal, so good!
Love that stir fry idea for getting it crispier! Can’t wait to try it!
This was delicious! Everyone loved it! I didn’t have as much time so I cooked it on high for two hours and it turned out great! We ate it with rice, black beans, and salsa: Chipotle style 🙂
Glad to hear everyone loved it Natalie! Also, thanks for the tip on cooking for 2 hours. I love eating this pulled pork chipotle style too! Sooo good and easy to do as pre-made lunches for work. 🙂
FYI queso fresco and cotija are 2 different cheeses.
Yes, yes they are! Not sure why I put them as an either or in the recipe. This has been updated. 🙂
When do you use the cup of water or beer?
Hi Becca – Add the water (or beer) in at the same time as the rest of the ingredients as you’re starting the crockpot. Sorry for the typo there – just fixed it!
Leave it out. Any of the test kitchen-type places will tell you that very little liquid is needed when cooking meat in a slow cooker. And if you don’t believe them, believe me: I can put a half cup of liquid in with a 3lb roast, and when it’s done, the liquid covers the meat . Cooking in the slow cooker with the meat covered in liquid results, perhaps counter-intuitively, in dry, tasteless meat.
Thanks for the tip Gerry! I’ll definitely try that next time and see how it turns out.
Yep that is what happened to me! Now I have 6lbs of tasteless pork. Do you think I could add all if these ingredients and cook it again?
Aww, that’s too bad! Thank you so much for letting me know. It turned out great for me but its been awhile since I’ve made this recipe so I’ll try it again without the beer and edit the recipe if needed. I wouldn’t re-cook and would just add more seasoning to the cooked pork.
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe for dinner this evening. However, with the leftovers (because we’re going out of town), what do you think about freezing the meat once it has been broiled? Do you think it will preserve well?
Yes, I have frozen it several times and it worked great. It will be less crispy after you reheat it, but still tasty!
Delicious! One of the easiest meals I’ve made. We had tacos 2 days in a row. I have so much left over. I want to save for the weekend. Can you freeze it without broiling it?
Yes, you can freeze without broiling. It will help crisp it back up if you thaw it out and then broil right before serving for a few minutes but that certainly isn’t necessary.