Pork Tenderloin Carnitas
Busy weeknights call for a dinner of Pork Tenderloin Carnitas! Super easy and delicious, the slow cooker does the work for you. The pork tenderloin simmers all day in a delectable, spicy sauce that yields perfectly tender meat. This meat can then be stuffed into a flour tortilla, spooned on top of chips for nachos, or served over rice in a delicious bowl.
“Carnitas” means “little meats”. When the pork tenderloin has finished cooking, I take kitchen shears to cut into bite sized pieces. You can also shred with two forks, but I have found that cutting them into smaller, one inch pieces make it easier to use for tacos.
My favorite way of serving Pork Tenderloin Carnitas? Warm some flour tortillas for a few minutes in the oven while you are making Simply Perfect Oven Rice as a side. Load the tortillas with shredded sharp cheddar, sour cream, Quick Pickled Red Onions or green onions, lettuce and cilantro. Also a few drops of hot sauce or taco sauce. There’s dinner!
Pork Tenderloin Carnitas
Ingredients
- 1 package pork tenderloin trimmed
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- generous pinch of cinnamon
- 4 cloves garlic minced (I use Trader Joe's frozen minced garlic)
- 1 Tablespoon chipotle chili sauce from a can of chipotle peppers
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- juice and zest of one lime
- 1/2 cup picante sauce I use Pace
- 1 12 ounce bottle beer
- 1-2 Tablespoon butter
- handful chopped cilantro
- chopped avocado, fresh cilantro, chopped iceberg lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, pickled red onion and/or chopped green onions, fresh lime juice and sour cream any or all of these, for serving
Instructions
- Combine salt, cumin, chili powder, oregano, black pepper, cayenne pepper and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
- Make sure the pork tenderloin is trimmed of any fat or skin, if desired. Then place the tenderloin in a crockpot that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle/rub the dried seasonings on top of and all over tenderloin.
- Next, stir together the garlic, chipotle sauce, orange juice, lime juice and zest, picante sauce, and beer. Pour on top of and around the tenderloin. Dot the butter on top.
- Cook on high for one hour, then on low for about 6-7 hours. Can also cook on low 7-9 hours. If there's time, I like to start off the crock pot cooking on high to get things going.
- Befor serving, take the meat out of the crock pot and shred with two forks, or use cooking shears to have more uniform size pieces of meat. Place back in the sauce. Sprinkle generously with cilantro.
- Last optional step:Place tenderloin in a serving dish, uncovered, in 435° oven for about 5 minutes–I usually do this while making my Simply Perfect Oven Rice. I place the serving dish of tenderloin next to the rice for the last few 5-8 minutes of the rice cooking time. You can also warm up your flour tortillas at this time as well. I place a small piece of damp paper towel on top of several tortillas then wrap tightly in foil and put on the oven rack for about 5 minutes.
- Serve on warm flour tortillas with shredded cheese, cilantro, green or pickled red onions, lettuce, lime juice and sour cream. Yellowbird Jalapeno Condiment goes well with them too! Enjoy!