
Beef Carnitas
Total Time
Prep: 40 min. Cook: 8 hours
Yield
16 servings plus 1/4 cup leftover spice mixture
I came up with this beef carnitas recipe while trying to figure out what I could do with a pot roast that had been in the freezer. Now I keep the rub in a plastic bag, ready and waiting in my cupboard, and I can get the roast in the slow cooker in less than 15 minutes. —Ann Piscitelli, Nokomis, Florida
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 pounds)
- 2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
- 3 poblano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
- 16 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
- 3 cups crumbled queso fresco or shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Optional toppings: cubed avocado, sour cream and minced fresh cilantro
Directions
- Mix the first nine ingredients. Cut roast in half; rub with 1/4 cup spice mixture. Cover and store remaining mixture in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.
- Place onions and peppers in a 4-qt. slow cooker. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Brown roast on all sides. Transfer meat and drippings to slow cooker. Top with salsa. Cook, covered, on low until meat is tender, 8-10 hours.
- Remove roast; shred with two forks. Skim fat from cooking juices. Return meat to slow cooker; heat through. Using a slotted spoon, place 1/2 cup meat mixture on each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Add toppings of your choice.
Nutrition Facts
1 carnita (calculated without optional toppings): 415 calories, 18g fat (6g saturated fat), 70mg cholesterol, 830mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 1g fiber), 27g protein.
I came up with this beef carnitas recipe while trying to figure out what I could do with a pot roast that had been in the freezer. Now I keep the rub in a plastic bag, ready and waiting in my cupboard, and I can get the roast in the slow cooker in less than 15 minutes. —Ann Piscitelli, Nokomis, Florida
Recipe Creator
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