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Chipotle Carnitas Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Servings: 4
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
  • 1 lemon (the juice)
  • 2 sprigs rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
  • Cilantro, lime, cheese for topping

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Method
 

  1. First, begin with a fresh pork shoulder. Use a fork to poke holes in the pork, sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper, and rub on minced garlic. Place the pork in the slow cooker.
  2. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, lemon juice, and rosemary. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. You may want to turn the pork over halfway through cooking, but it's not necessary.
  3. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place in a separate bowl. Use two forks to shred meat.
  4. Serve in a bowl or on fresh tortillas. Add any of your favorite toppings, such as cheese, cilantro, lime, or tomatoes.

Notes

  • When purchasing the meat, look for a boneless or bone-in pork butt roast. Depending on where you live, it could be called pork butt, pork shoulder, Boston butt, or Boston shoulder.
  • Before cooking, you’ll need to remove the thick layer of fat on one side of your roast to about 1/8” and cut away any silver skin that’s on the roast.
  • If you want to keep the recipe authentic to Chipotle's version, you may find juniper berries on Amazon, a specialty spice store, or a home brewing shop (juniper berries are often used in making beer or gin).