Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe: Crispy, Juicy Mexican Pork

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Slow cooker pork carnitas is the easiest path to the best tacos of your life: a pork shoulder rubbed with cumin and oregano, slow-cooked in orange and lime juice until it falls apart, then crisped in a hot pan until the edges turn golden and crackly. Juicy inside, crispy outside — that contrast is the whole point. The slow cooker does the hard work. Eight hours on low turns a tough shoulder meltingly tender, and the citrus in the cooking liquid keeps the pork bright instead of heavy. The real magic happens at the end: shred the pork, spread it in a screaming-hot skillet with a splash of its own cooking liquid, and let it sit undisturbed until the edges char. Do not skip that step — crisping is what makes carnitas carnitas. Crispy edges, juicy center — carnitas night done right. Recipe Info Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 8 hours (slow cooker, low) Total time: 8 hours 30 minutes Servings: 8 Calories: ~520 kcal per serving Pork, citrus and spice — carnitas starts h...
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Garlic Butter Prawns Recipe: Juicy Garlic Butter Prawns in 15 Minutes

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Garlic butter prawns are the fastest route to a dinner that tastes like a special occasion. Plump prawns are seared in a hot pan, then tossed in foaming garlic butter with a pinch of chilli and a squeeze of lemon — sweet, savoury, and ready in just 15 minutes from fridge to table.

The trick is speed and heat: prawns overcook in a blink, so the pan must be hot, the prawns dry, and everything prepped before you start. Serve them with crusty bread to mop up the sauce, or over rice or pasta for a fuller meal — either way, the garlicky butter is the star.

Juicy garlic butter prawns in a skillet with golden garlic butter sauce, parsley and lemon wedges

Golden, garlicky, and ready in 15 minutes — prawns at their juicy best.

Recipe Info

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 10 minutes
  • Total time: 15 minutes
  • Servings: 4
  • Calories: ~290 kcal per serving (prawns and sauce only)
Flat lay of garlic butter prawns ingredients: raw peeled prawns, butter, garlic, lemon, olive oil, chilli flakes, salt and parsley

Prawns, butter, garlic and lemon — everything this 15-minute dinner needs.

Ingredients

  • 800 g / 1 3/4 lb large prawns, peeled and deveined, tails left on if you like
  • 60 g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
  • 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (or 1/4 tsp for a milder version)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • Juice of 1 lemon (about 30 ml), plus wedges to serve
  • 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • Crusty bread, steamed rice, or pasta, to serve
Close-up of a juicy garlic butter prawn on a fork dripping with golden garlic butter sauce and parsley

One bite, and the garlic butter says it all — sweet prawns, rich sauce, bright lemon.

Instructions

  1. Prep everything first: Pat the prawns very dry with paper towels and season with the salt and pepper. Slice the garlic, chop the parsley, and halve the lemon — once the pan is hot, there is no time to chop.
  2. Heat the pan: Heat a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat with the olive oil until it shimmers. A hot pan sears the prawns instead of steaming them.
  3. Sear the prawns: Add the prawns in a single layer and cook for 1–2 minutes per side, just until pink and curled into a loose C-shape. Transfer them to a plate immediately — they will finish cooking in the sauce.
  4. Make the garlic butter: Lower the heat to medium. Melt the butter in the same pan, then add the sliced garlic and chilli flakes. Cook for 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and pale gold — never brown, or it turns bitter.
  5. Finish the sauce: Squeeze in the lemon juice (it will sizzle) and stir, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. Those bits are pure flavour.
  6. Toss and return: Return the prawns and any juices to the pan. Toss for 30 seconds until every prawn is glossy with sauce and just cooked through.
  7. Serve at once: Shower with parsley, pile onto warmed plates with lemon wedges, and serve immediately with bread, rice, or pasta to catch every drop of sauce.

Tips & Variations

  • Dry prawns sear better. Wet prawns steam and never brown. Pat them dry, and if they were frozen, thaw fully and drain well first.
  • Watch the curl. A loose C means juicy; a tight O means overcooked. Pull prawns the moment they turn pink — carryover heat finishes the job.
  • Do not crowd the pan. Cook in two batches if needed. A crowded pan drops the temperature and the prawns boil in their own juices.
  • Keep the garlic pale. Garlic goes from fragrant to bitter in seconds. If it browns, wipe the pan and start the butter step again — it takes one minute and saves the dish.
  • Make it a pasta dinner. Toss the finished prawns and sauce through 320 g / 11 oz of cooked spaghetti with a splash of pasta water for a silky coating.
  • Add a splash of white wine. After the garlic, pour in 60 ml / 1/4 cup of dry white wine and let it bubble for 1 minute before the lemon — deeper flavour, same speed.
  • Leftovers keep one day. Refrigerate in an airtight container and eat cold in a salad or gently warmed — reheating hard makes prawns rubbery, so keep it brief.

Nutrition Note

This is an approximate guide only, not dietary advice. One serving of prawns and sauce contains roughly 290 kcal, 30 g protein, 17 g fat, and 3 g carbohydrates. Prawns are lean protein rich in iodine and selenium, while the butter keeps portions satisfying — pairing with vegetables or a salad balances the plate nicely.

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FAQ

Can I use frozen prawns?

Yes — thaw them overnight in the fridge or under cold running water, then drain and pat very dry. Wet prawns will not sear, so drying is the most important step.

How do I know when prawns are done?

They turn pink and opaque and curl into a loose C. That takes about 1–2 minutes per side over medium-high heat. Remove them promptly; they keep cooking off the heat.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Swap the butter for 3 tablespoons of olive oil and add an extra squeeze of lemon. You lose some richness, but the garlic and lemon still carry the dish.

What should I serve with garlic butter prawns?

Crusty bread is the classic partner for the sauce. Rice, pasta, or a simple green salad all work, and a chilled white wine suits the lemon-garlic flavours.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, but sear the prawns in batches so the pan stays hot. Double the sauce in the same pan afterwards, then return all the prawns for the final toss.

Give these garlic butter prawns a try this week — fifteen minutes, one pan, and a sauce worth fighting over. If you make them, tell us in the comments what you served them with, and save this recipe for your next fast weeknight dinner.

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