Baked Sweet Potatoes with Slow Cooker Carnitas and Lazy Guacamole (Edit recipe)

Not only does this recipe feature the most delicious set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker carnitas, but it also has the simplest way to get a perfectly baked, caramel-y, melty sweet potato. All components of this recipe put together--crispy carnitas, caramelized sweet potato, cool and creamy guacamole--such a perfect balance! Remember, crisping up the carnitas in a pan is NOT optional because it transforms the flavor and brings them to life.
30 minutes
9 hours, 15
Difficulty:
Intermediate
Show nutritional information
This is our estimate based on online research.
Calories:901
Fat:44 g
Carbohydrates:56 g
Protein:46 g
Cholesterol:160 g
Sodium:2024 mg
Fiber:8 g
Sugars:23 g
Calculated per serving.

Serves: 4

decrease servingsincrease servings

Ingredients

Carnitas

Sweets & Guac

Process

Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results

For the Carnitas

  1. Combine the first 9 ingredients (pork shoulder through chicken broth) in a slow cooker, taking care to make sure that the fat cap on the pork is facing up. Cook on low for 9 hours.
  2. Once 9 hours have passed, carefully lift the lid off the slow cooker and shred the meat with a fork. It should fall apart easily. Additionally, remove the bay leaves from the slow cooker. (At this point, you can transfer the pork into a container and, after it has cooled, store in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it. If doing so, only reserve enough liquid from the crock pot to cover the pork in the container; discard the remaining liquid).
  3. When ready to serve, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup shredded meat per person and distribute evenly throughout the skillet. Leave undisturbed and allow the meat to crisp up on the bottom.
  4. After a few minutes, sauté the meat to redistribute, then allow to crisp up again. Repeat this process until most of the meat has browned and is crispy to your preference.

For the Sweet Potatoes

  1. Preheat oven to 450ºF.
  2. Wash and dry sweet potatoes. Individually wrap each one in foil, then place into oven for 1 hour.

Assembly

  1. Carefully cut open the sweet potatoes, gently smashing it down a little bit to create room for the crispy carnitas goodness.
  2. To make the lazy guacamole, scoop the flesh out of the avocado and add in lime juice, garlic powder, and sea salt, mash to combine.
  3. Top sweet potatoes with crispy carnitas, a generous scoop of guacamole, minced red onion, and cilantro.
  4. DEVOUR.

Notes

-You could easily cook the carnitas and sweet potatoes ahead of time, them just reheat and assemble when you’re ready to eat. // What to do with leftover carnitas? Crisp them up whenever you want to eat them, then use to top soups, salads, hashes, or even eat alongside some roasted or sautéed veggies for a delicious meal. They are incredibly versatile!

Add a Note

My Notes:

Add a Note

Never Miss a Bite

Get recipes delivered to your inbox every week

Leave a Reply