Weight Watchers Pork Carnitas (Slow Cooker) Recipe
Weight Watchers Pork Carnitas (Slow Cooker) Recipe. This dish is a fantastic way to bring a bit of Mexican flair to your table, without any fuss.
You’ll need some basic ingredients like pork, a blend of spices including chili powder and cumin, and a few extras like orange juice and tomato paste to create a rich flavor base.
What’s great about this recipe is its versatility. You can serve these pork carnitas in tacos, burritos, or even over a bed of rice. It’s all about what you’re in the mood for.
The slow cooker does most of the work, so you can just set it and forget it until it’s time to eat.
A little tip: shredding the pork when it’s just cool enough to handle makes the process a breeze.
Weight Watchers Points
4 Points (2022/2023 Plan)
MyWW Points: 4 Blue Plan and 3 Green Plan
4 WW Freestyle Points and 3 Smart Points
Tips and Tricks
Cooking Techniques
To ensure even browning, turn the pork frequently and use tongs to get a nice sear on all sides. This helps lock in the flavors and gives the pork a beautiful crust.
Ingredient Substitutions
If you can’t find ancho chile powder, you can use regular chili powder or a mix of smoked paprika and regular chili powder for a similar smoky flavor.
Slow Cooker Efficiency
For best results, avoid lifting the slow cooker lid during cooking as this releases heat and can increase the cooking time.
Flavor Enhancement
For an extra layer of flavor, you can add a few drops of liquid smoke to the cooking liquid in the slow cooker.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the shredded pork with warm tortillas, avocado slices, and fresh cilantro for a complete meal. You can also use it as a filling for tacos, burritos, or quesadillas.
Storage Tips
Store any leftover pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors will meld and develop, making it even tastier the next day.
Freezing Instructions
This pork freezes well. Place the shredded pork and some of the cooking liquid in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Related Recipes
Weight Watchers Crock Pot Carnitas
Weight Watchers Chipotle Shredded Chicken Taco Filling
Easy Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
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Love wine? Check out this cute wine glass. The Points Glass Stemless Wine Glass. 3 Points, 5 Points, Who Cares
Fun but practical! The measurements are at 4 ounces, 7 ounces, and 10 ounces.
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Weight Watchers Pork Carnitas (Slow Cooker)
Equipment
- 2 Forks
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- 32 ounce lean trimmed pork loin
- ¾ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 12 fl oz light beer
- cloves garlic crushed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 teaspoon bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Mix chili powder, oregano, cumin, coriander, and ¾ teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
- Rub this spice mix all over the pork.
- Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray and heat it over medium-high heat.
- Place the pork in the skillet. Cook it, turning it sometimes, until it's browned everywhere, which takes about 8 minutes.
- In a slow cooker, whisk together orange juice and tomato paste.
- Add the browned pork, beer, garlic, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on Low for 6–7 hours, until the pork is really tender.
- Move the pork to a cutting board.
- Take out the garlic, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves from the slow cooker. Throw away the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Keep the garlic.
- Mash the garlic with a fork and put it in a small bowl.
- Add the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt to the mashed garlic and mix.
- When the pork is cool enough to touch, shred it into pieces using two forks.
- Put the shredded pork in a large bowl.
- Stir in the cooking liquid from the slow cooker, the garlic-salt mix, and lime juice into the pork.
Notes
Nutrition
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