Nightshade Free Crockpot Pork Carnitas with Lime
Carnitas are usually built on a foundation of dried chiles, chipotle, or tomato — which makes them a tough call when you're avoiding nightshades. This version sidesteps all of that without sacrificing any of the bold, layered flavor you expect from the dish. Turmeric, ginger, Ceylon cinnamon, oregano, and thyme do the heavy lifting in the spice rub, giving the pork a warm, aromatic depth that's genuinely complex. The slow cooker does most of the work, braising the pork in bone broth, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar until it's fall-apart tender. Then comes the move that makes carnitas carnitas: a quick run under the broiler with a drizzle of coconut oil to get those irresistibly crispy, caramelized edges. A splash of the reserved braising liquid tossed over the crisped pork at the end keeps everything juicy and bright. Serve it with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime, and nobody at the table will miss a thing.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 3 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3-inch chunks
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- ½ cup bone broth
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
For serving
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, combine the salt, turmeric, ginger, Ceylon cinnamon, oregano, and thyme. Pat the pork shoulder chunks dry with paper towels, then rub the spice mixture evenly over all sides of each piece.
- 2
Scatter the smashed garlic and chopped onion across the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Nestle the seasoned pork pieces on top in a single layer as much as possible.
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