
Pork Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork)
This Pork Carnitas recipe packs 35g protein and 334 calories per serving—efficient fuel for recovery without excess fat. Makes 12 servings via slow cooker, stretching your prep time across multiple training days and reducing daily cooking effort. Perfect for athletes running a calorie deficit who need high protein-to-calorie ratio.
Ingredients
- •Pork Loin(1814g)
- •3-4 teaspoons salt
- •1 teaspoon pepper
- •Oregano, Dried(15g)
- •Cumin, Ground(15g)
- •Yellow Onion
- •Garlic(480g)
- •Lime Juice, Fresh
- •Orange Juice, Fresh(180g)
- •Cola Beverage, Regular(180g)
- •2 bay leaves
Instructions
- 1Rinse and pat dry the pork loin with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- 2In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, combine the pork, oregano, ground cumin, onion (quartered), fresh garlic (minced), lime juice, orange juice, and cola over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 2.5–3 hours until the pork is fork-tender and shreds easily.
- 3Remove the pork from the pot and set aside on a cutting board; reserve all cooking liquid in the pot. Once the pork is cool enough to handle, shred it into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
- 4Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the shredded pork for 3–4 minutes until edges begin to crisp and brown, then add ½ cup of reserved cooking liquid to each batch and continue cooking for 2–3 minutes until the liquid reduces and the meat becomes golden and crispy.
- 5Divide the finished pork carnitas evenly into 12 airtight containers while hot, spooning additional reserved cooking liquid over each portion for moisture and flavor.
- 6Cool to room temperature before sealing containers, then refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition — Per Serving
334
calories
35g
protein
15g
fat
- Carbohydrates
- 18g
- Saturated fat
- 5.0g
- Sodium
- 71 mg
- Dietary fiber
- 1.5g
12 servings per batch · ~224g each
Macro data sourced from USDA FoodData Central
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How much protein does Pork Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork) have per serving?
Each serving contains 35g of protein and 334 calories with 15g fat and 18g carbs. This is a high-protein, moderate-calorie option that efficiently supports daily protein goals.
How long does Pork Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork) take to prep?
This is a quick prep recipe despite slow cooking, and it batch-makes 12 servings from one cooking session. You're getting nearly two weeks of protein-rich meals prepped at once.
Is Pork Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork) good for muscle gain?
At 35g protein and 334 calories per serving, this recipe is well-suited for muscle gain phases where hitting daily protein targets is the priority. The moderate calorie and carb load allows flexibility to add carb sources around training.
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