• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
24Bite® Recipes
  • All Recipes
  • 24Bite Blog
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • All 24Bite Recipes
  • Mexican Food Recipes
  • Tamales Recipes
  • Bread Machine Recipes
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Subscribe for Emails
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Pork Recipes » Coca Cola Carnitas Slow Cooker

    Coca Cola Carnitas Slow Cooker

    Date: September 15, 2021 by Christian Guzman • This post may contain affiliate links. See Privacy Policy below.

    Coca Cola Carnitas make the best tacos. Braise pork roast in a slow cooker until fork tender then sear in a hot skillet for those delicious crispy bits.

    Slow cooking in citrus juices with the sugary cola allows the pork to break down to tender pieces, just the perfect size for filling tortillas, tamales, burritos and more.

    • What cut makes the best carnitas?
    • Are carnitas supposed to be crispy?
    • Do you shred or chunk carnitas?
    • How do you serve coca cola carnitas?
    • Recipe
    24Bite Coca Cola Carnitas Slow Cooker Recipe by Christian Guzman
    Jump to Recipe

    Ingredients

    ingredients for pork carnitas from recipe card below, displayed on a countertop

    The pork roast is braised in a crockpot with only a few ingredients. Most of these ingredients are the seasonings, so don’t let it intimidate you.

    Use the juice of two oranges and one lime.

    oranges and limes cut in half on a cutting board

    When choosing a cola, be sure to use the full sugar version. You don’t want to use a diet version. The sugar is needed, especially for the searing and eventual glazing.

    I’ve used different brands of cola. Coco Cola was used this time but try it with Dr. Pepper too.

    What cut makes the best carnitas?

    For best results, I suggest a pork shoulder roast (alsa called pork butt). The fat content and marbling is higher which keeps it moist.

    I had to use pork loin roast this time because that’s all that was available at the store. The last year and a half has been more difficult to get meat for us and we need to learn to work around it, right?

    Because I used a loin roast, I used more of the meat juices while searing. It all worked out, of course. Just don’t accidentally throw out the juices before you get everything finished.

    Have a browse at all
    24Bite recipes
    to customize your own search.

    Are carnitas supposed to be crispy?

    Carnitas don’t have to be crispy at all. It’s completely up to you. If you’re short on time, you can simply put the small pieces of pork meat into the skillet with the juices and cook them down without the searing. I promise it will be tasty either way.

    using a juicer tool to get the juice from an orange
    Be sure to get every bit of that orange juice!

    Do you shred or chunk carnitas?

    Is chunked a word? Even if it’s not a word, you understand, I’m sure. I prefer chunks myself.

    We were making tacos, so shreds work better. If I simply wanted a bowl of carnitas (and, trust me, I have wanted just that), the chunks are great. It’s up to you.

    plate of birria tacos with link to recipe

    When is National Taco Day?

    Did you know there’s a National Taco Day? There’s an actual website for it. Visit National Taco Day here.

    According to the website, “Americans ate over 4.5 billion tacos last year”. Next time, try your tacos with these crispy cola carnitas instead.

    You can see all of my taco recipes here, for some delicious variety. Here are some of my favorite sides as well.

    • Frijoles Puercos Sinaloa Refried Beans
    • Tomatillo Red Chili Sauce
    • How to Make Pico De Gallo from Scratch

    For an easy, trending birria tacos recipe, try these delicious Chicken Birria Tacos.

    How do you serve carnitas?

    Start off by frying your tortillas up a bit. You don’t want them to fall completely apart when you fold them.

    Add your favorite toppings. I’ve used red cabbage, cilantro, queso fresco and crema. Serve avocado on the side and give some limes a good squeeze over everything. Yum!

    24Bite Coca Cola Carnitas Slow Cooker Recipe by Christian Guzman

    Recipe

    24Bite Logo Full Size



    Pin Recipe Now

    Coca Cola Carnitas

    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Tap to leave a star rating
    4.97 from 28 votes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Slow Cooking Time: 4 hours
    Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 293kcal
    Author: Christian Guzman
    Save or Print
    Crispy Coca Cola Carnitas make the best tacos. Braise pork roast in a slow cooker until fork tender then sear in a hot skillet for those delicious crispy bits.

    For more information, be sure to check the recipe details in the attached 24Bite® post.

    Equipment

    • 6 quart Crock Pot or other slow cooker
    • Large skillet

    Ingredients

    Slow Cooking Carnitas

    • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Cumin
    • 1 teaspoon Oregano
    • 2.5 pound Boneless Pork Roast, See notes
    • 12 ounces Cola, real sugar version or Mexican preferred, but any brand, not diet
    • ½ cup Orange Juice, freshly squeezed, two oranges
    • 2 tablespoons Lime Juice, freshly squeezed, one lime

    Crisping Up the Carnitas

    • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil

    Instructions

    Slow Cooking Carnitas

    • Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet and heat on medium.
    • Place all seasonings inside a small bowl and mix together.
    • Rub seasoning mix into all sides of pork roast then sear on all sides in skillet.
    • Place cola and juices of oranges and lime in 6 quart crock pot and stir to mix.
    • Place seared roast into liquid in crockpot and pour anything remaining in the skillet into crock pot.
    • Cook 3-4 hours on high, or 5-6 hours on low.
    • Remove roast to a cutting board. Do NOT discard the juices in the crock pot. These will be used later. Let roast sit for about 10 minutes.
    • Separate the pork roast into small chunks or shreds. Chunks are best for carnitas and more traditional, but shreds are good too.

    Crisping Up the Carnitas

    • Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet.
    • Add the pork roast pieces. Let them sizzle until there are crispy bits around the edges. If there is too much pork roast for your skillet, you can halve the roast pieces and repeat the crisping process.
    • Once crispy, start adding the juices from the crock pot, about 1 cup or so at a time. The meat will soak up the juices quickly but you want to have enough so that, when you heat the juices some of it will evaporate, leaving the syrupy goodness of the cola.
    • Continue heating the carnitas in the skillet until there's a little bit of evaporation and some syrup has formed. Add more liquid, if desired. Continue until you reach the desired juicy, tender carnitas.



    Note: If there is a video, it will not display while there is an adblocker.

    Notes

    Boneless pork roast: The best carnitas are made with pork shoulder (aka pork butt). It has the right amount of fat to keep the carnitas juicy. Don’t be tempted to trim off the fat. Other cuts of pork will work as well. You will need to add more juices for the leaner cuts.
    Serve carnitas over rice. Make tacos, empanadas, burritos or nachos.
    Serve with red cabbage, crema, cilantro, lime and avocado slices.
    When crisping up the carnitas, you need enough oil to touch the edges of the meat so those bits will brown and crisp. You don’t need to use olive oil for any of the oil needed for this recipe. You can use any oil or, traditionally, you could also use lard.
    Nutrition Facts
    Coca Cola Carnitas
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 293 Calories from Fat 135
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 15g23%
    Saturated Fat 3g19%
    Sodium 367mg16%
    Carbohydrates 7g2%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 5g6%
    Protein 32g64%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Mexican
    Keyword carnitas tacos, coca cola carnitas, crispy crockpot carnitas, crockpot carnitas, mexican pulled pork, slow cooker carnitas
    ______________________



    Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. All amounts are estimates and 24Bite® takes no responsibility for actual figures since calculations vary by packaging and supplier. Please calculate the amounts yourself based on package labeling if you have specific dietary requirements. 24Bite®, Kim Guzman or Christian Guzman shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on this website or actions you take as a result.

    © 2019-2023 Kim Guzman and Christian Guzman. All rights reserved. Subscribe to 24Bite email newsletters.



    Follow 24Bite:

    24Bite Logo

    Twitter  |  Facebook  | Pinterest


    « Italian Pot Roast Instant Pot or Crockpot
    Pizza Bread Loaf with Pepperoni »

    Pork Recipes, Slow Cooker Recipes, Taco Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Join the Conversation Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    Primary Sidebar

    Christian Guzman Headshot

    Welcome to 24Bite®! My name is Christian Guzman and I love to cook! I hope you will join me in the kitchen, where I teach you to make your favorite craves!

         

    For Your Best Holiday!

    • How to Make Tamale Masa Dough with Masa Harina
    • Red Tamale Sauce Authentic Recipe (+video)
    • Potatoes O’Brien Breakfast Casserole
    • Homemade Pork Tamales with Red Chili Sauce
    • Dairy Free Tres Leches Cake
    • Mexican Pink Cookies Polvorones Rosas

    Browse All 24Bite Recipes

    Mexican Food • Tamales • Enchiladas • Tacos • Pizza • Soups • Bread Machine • Pasta • Chicken • Cookies • GlutenFree • Vegan • Instant Pot • Crockpot • Vegetarian

    All Recipe Videos

    Newsletter Archives

    As Seen In

    24Bite resume websites

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
    • About Me

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Recipes

    • All Recipes
    • Categories

    Follow

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    © 2019-2023 Kim Guzman and Christian Guzman. All rights reserved.

    Disclaimer: This website makes use of sponsored and/or affiliate links. 24Bite.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and may earn from qualifying purchases. Roundups: You have permission from 24Bite to use one image and backlink for your roundups.