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
Hi! This recipe sounds delicious. I’ve read that pork tenderloin is not recommended for slow cooker, but all your reviews say otherwise. is the pork more tender if I cook in oven? Or should I use a pork shoulder. I’m not the best cook, just want to make something good for my family. 🙂 Thank you for any feed back.
Traci H
For a recipe like this where the tenderloin needs to cook down enough to shred it, the crockpot works well since it traps moisture in while the oven has dry heat. That being said, I’ve seen reviews say people have cooked it in the oven and it has still shredded fine. I would make sure the dish you cook it in is covered or wrap the top in foil to mimic the crockpot’s environment. Good luck, I hope it turns out great for you and your family!
Do you remove the silver skin off the pork tenderloin before cooking it?
Tenderloin shouldn’t have any skin on it. By the skin do you mean that thin layer of clear connective tissue that’s sometimes there? If so, you can leave it on. It’ll break down in the crockpot. I hope that helps but if that isn’t what you mean, leave another comment clarifying what you’re asking and I’ll do my best to help!
Have made this a few times. It’s is excellent.
I made a version of this, and the toppings I used for the tacos were: cilantro-lime rice, homemade coleslaw and then whatever sauces the family wanted to add on top. They were sooooooooo good! Just thought I’d drop my favorite toppings for these bad boys!
Lovvve all those toppings!! Thanks for the topping inspiration! I have a taco slaw and taco sauce recipe coming out within the next month that would be a fabulous addition as well!
I made Pork Tenderloin tacos for a dinner party. The recipe is super easy and delicious especially when paired with mango avocado salsa! I think my guests liked the food –each one went back for seconds! I will make this again.
That’s so great to hear! And isn’t that mango avocado salsa pairing fantastic? I love adding a pop of fruitiness to balance out the saltiness of the pork!
I made this tonight with homemade guacamole and salsa. It was fantastic.
Have made this a few times now- SO EASY and delicious! A family favorite and real crowd pleaser. Thanks!
This was delicious. We halved the recipe based on our meat portion; it turned out great. Baked in the oven and started checking it for pull-apart tenderness after about 2 hours and then continued checking in 30-minute intervals until it was very tender but not falling apart. We used beer for the liquid and added a big spoonful of frozen concentrate lime because we didn’t have any juice. I think the liquid combo is flexible. Thanks for the easy and delicious recipe!
This pork was easy and tasty. I didn’t have onion powder, so I cut up an onion instead. It soaked up the juices and was a good addition to our tacos : )
This was very good. We enjoyed the shredded pork with both rice and in taco shells with toppings.
Is the instant pot info outdated – maybe for an older model? I followed the recipe to a t, even though 35 minutes felt like a really long time, and unfortunately I just got super dry, super tough tenderloin. Like – – it was so tough I could not shred it. What am I missing??
Hi Shannon – Sorry to hear it didn’t turn out for you! My Instant Pot is a few years old but the technology hasn’t changed much in terms of temperatures or cook times. I will re-test soon and edit the instructions if the cook time turns out to be different/
Hi Shannon – Sorry to hear it didn’t turn out for you! My Instant Pot is a few years old but the technology hasn’t changed much in terms of temperatures or cook times. I will re-test soon and edit the instructions if the cook time turns out to be different.
This has become a go to recipe for me. I just love it. I use pineapple juice instead of orange juice but otherwise don’t change a thing. Thank you!
I bet pineapple juice is great in this!
Love this recipe! I add a little unsalted broth with the beer and the flavor is superb. And I add fresh onions and garlic that I shred with the pork tenderloin as well.
This was my first time making pork carnitas. This recipe looked perfect, but as I dressed the pork, I realized I forgot to buy an orange. I substituted it with 1/4 fresh squeezed lemon juice and 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. It turned out great. I didn’t end up with much extra sauce in the slow cooker though, so I might increase the amount of fluids next time. I also made the pickled red onion with jalapeños, which were great!
Pork tenderloin is so lean that sometimes the liquid all gets absorbed in cooking. I haven’t tried lemon or vinegar yet but like the idea of it!
I must be missing something as mine came out very dry. I went 6 hours on low with about a 3/4 pound pork tenderloin and 1/2 of the spice and liquid recipe. Once I shredded the meat there was no liquid left.
Hi Joe – so sorry to hear that happened! I’m not sure exactly what went wrong there. I haven’t tried halving the recipe but perhaps in cutting the recipe in half, it just wasn’t enough?
2lbs = 8 hours on low
1lb = 4 hours on low
3/4lb = 3 hours on low
You overcooked by 100% because your meat had less volume and you have to adjust the cooking time.
I’ve made this a few times now and it always comes out perfect! The only change I’ve made is using the extra chili powder when I don’t have any chipotles on hand. My family loves it!
I do that out of sheer laziness and not wanting to chop up the chilis sometimes so I definitely understand! Luckily it works great either way. 🙂
This recipe is perfect. I love this soooo much.
These look great! Can you sub the fresh squeezed orange juice for store bought?
Of course!
Just to clarify – if I add in a 1/2 cup of beer, do I still use the 1/2 cup of OJ? I’m more into lime than OJ. But I bought a nice orange – do mine would be fresh squeezed and I’d probably zest some of the orange peel and a tad of lime zest too. Is there such a thing as too much liquid? My tenderloin is 2.37 lbs.
Honestly the recipe is pretty flexible and works fine with beer, OJ or both. I removed beer from the recipe several years ago since I didn’t think it added anything to the flavor but you can definitely use it. The extra liquid doesn’t hurt in my opinion. I haven’t tried it without orange juice so can’t vouch for that but the orange is subtle so you won’t get a strong orange flavor in the end. Hope that helps!
Hello, can I use pork loin as well?
Pork loin is very different than pork shoulder or tenderloin and may not shred well. If you tried it, let me know how it worked! I’d love to know!
I actually tried it with pork loin but cooked it longer and it fell right apart so moist!!! Very good!!
I’ve used both meats and as Courtney Krall said, pork loin requires more time. I like to add a little more OJ so it doesn’t get dry but today (for grad party) I’ll use beer and I’ll let you know how it goes.
*beer doesn’t change flavour but adds juiciness to the meat. My mom uses it on brisket or a coke does the work too.
Excited to try this recipe this week! I have about a 1 lb tenderloin so am trying to determine the amount of time to cook in the crockpot… Do you think 2 hours on low would be sufficient?
Yes, probably 2-2 1/2 hours on high or an extra hour or two on low heat. 🙂
Can’t wait to try your recipe! I love tenderloin and want a nice filling for burritos.
Thank you, will let you know.
I’ve used your recipe for a couple of years – the fam loves it! I recently got an Instant Pot and decided to give it a go tonight. It turned out well – not quite as tender, but I’m pretty sure that it could have cooked for a few more minutes and been perfect. A couple of simple tweaks for pressure cooking 1) cut the meat into 3 – 4 in chunks; 2) lightly brown the meat before sealing the cooker; 3) in crease the spice just a bit (like rounded instead of level teaspoon), 4) pressure cook on high for 40 minutes then naturally vent for 15 minutes. I finished it as stated in your recipe. Husband loved it!
Great idea! I love using instant pot whenever I can.
Thanks a bunch for this while reading the recipe, was wondering if I could do it in an instant pot
I haven’t tried it in the instant pot but the comment above has some good instruction on this. Here is what she said:
A couple of simple tweaks for pressure cooking 1) cut the meat into 3 – 4 in chunks; 2) lightly brown the meat before sealing the cooker; 3) increase the spice just a bit (like rounded instead of level teaspoon), 4) pressure cook on high for 40 minutes then naturally vent for 15 minutes.
I’ll try it soon and update the recipe once I get the exact times and proportions worked out!
Thanks for the incredible recipe! I always prefer to use tenderloin for my carnitas but have never had one turn out so perfect. I eat low carb so I swapped out the liquids for 1/4 C lemon and 1/4 C lime juices. This was PERFECTLY tender at exactly 3.5 hours on high. Thank you again!!
I’m so happy you like the recipe and I love the lemon/ lime lower carb idea!
Haven’t tried it, but I will tonight! I was looking for a low-carb dinner for tonight and was wondering about swapping out the OJ myself! Thanks for the tip!!
This was so perfect. I’m actually eating it right now 🙂 Every single thing about this recipe is amazing. I’d never even HAD pickled red onions/jalapenos before, let alone made them myself. Followed all the steps, had fun with it, and now have a new favorite recipe for tacos, and inspiration to continue experimenting in the kitchen! Thank you!!
Oh that’s so great! The onions really make it fantastic to me too!!
Can I use Boneless Centercut Pork Roast to make this carnitas recipe?
I haven’t tried it but you could probably make it work. Pork loin is normally a much larger cut of meat so you just may need to adjust the cooking time. Report back to the rest of us if you try it! 🙂
Do you think you could freeze them prior to broiling and then broil
before serving? Great to take on vacation as an easy meal!
Yes, you could definitely do that! That’s a great idea actually! You should defrost before broiling but it should crisp up perfectly.
I specifically had a hunk of pork tenderloin (portioned from a Costco tenderloin) in the freezer and was craving carnitas! This recipe hit the spot! I served with Cilantro Lime Crema, shredded red cabbage, pickled red onion, and sliced avocado- sooooooo goood! I just noticed some of the comments mentioning beer instead of water- I would try that next time!
Yay for freezer finds!! I’m pretty much always craving tacos so we’re on the same page and that cilantro lime crema sounds out of this world delicious!
Becky, where in the recipe does it mention to add water? I’d love to put some Corona beer (haha) in this recipe tomorrow but I’m not seeing where I can do that!
I edited the recipe since originally posting it and removed that since it wasn’t necessary. It certainly doesn’t hurt it though! Add that corona!
FOLLOWED THE RECIPE ABOVE ON THIS LINK …READ IT OVER THREE TIMES. WHAT BEER…WHAT WATER?
THANK YOU.
PS: MY cROCK POT IS BEGGING FOR MORE LIQUID.
I edited the recipe at one point and removed beer from it. You can add about 1/2 cup of beer if you’d like to!
This is my second time making this wonderful recipe. I topped my corn tortillas with the pickled onions and queso fresco, lime and cilantro and served a side of spanish rice. Absolutely delish!! and will keep this on semi-weekly rotation. It’s so easy and fail- proof because of the slow cooker. Definitely recommend broiling because it’s the key to crispy heaven. Thanks again for this great recipe
It’s all about that broiled crispiness! Mmm, just thinking about it makes me want to make this for dinner!
I just made this and it was AWESOME. I wouldn’t change a thing.