'You Guys Didn't Lie' — Aldi Shoppers Say This Meat Is A Must-Have

If you've been looking for an easy, tasty, and affordable new meal idea and you haven't been shopping at Aldi, maybe it's time to start. Many customers swear by the Carnitas Seasoned Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast that you can get at Aldi for under $3 a pound. Not only is it a great idea to pop in a slow cooker, but the pre-marinated meat is also incredibly flavorful and can be used in a variety of dishes. If you're sick of trying to come up with ingredients to turn a boring roast into something special, Aldi shoppers say this is a must-try.

The Carnitas Seasoned Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast from Aldi averages around 2 pounds. At $2.39 per pound, a 2-pound roast comes in just under $5. Following the rule of purchasing  ½ a pound of meat per person, that should be perfect for anyone cooking for a small family — potentially even with leftovers. The roast comes already marinated with carnitas seasoning. Although the label doesn't disclose exactly what that means, Hayley MacLean's slow-cooker carnitas recipe includes cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, and pepper. You'll get a similar flavor from Aldi's marinade with much less effort. 

As one Reddit user put it, "It was SO good." They slow-cooked theirs for eight hours and used it to make carnitas street tacos with salsa verde. Slow cooking ensures that it remains tender and shreds easily by the time it's done, making the tacos virtually effortless. Others shake it up by using the leftovers for nachos the next day.

The most obvious use for Aldi's Carnitas Seasoned Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast is to make carnitas tacos — and Tasting Table has many carnitas tacos recipes you can follow. Most Aldi shoppers report enjoying it the same way: Slow-cooked until they can shred it, and then served with fresh flour or corn tortillas and their choice of taco additions and toppings. It's delicious, simple, and doesn't require a lot of extra work. To add more depth of flavor, you can cook the roast with chopped onions and peppers such as poblanos or serranos. For more of a kick, try jalapeño, chipotle, or habanero.

Tacos don't have to be the limit of what you do with this carnitas roast. Other shoppers suggest using it to make some delicious nachos by putting the shredded meat on tortilla chips along with your favorite nacho toppings. Carnitas would also work well in a Mexican soup or stew, such as pozole rojo or verde, or in Melissa Olivieria's easy slow cooker chicken tortilla soup. It would also make a tasty addition to your favorite chili recipe in place of the standard beef or chicken. You can even take some inspiration from Chipotle and swap the tortillas for rice to make a burrito bowl. 

For breakfast, you could use your carnitas in a hash in place of chorizo served alongside eggs and potatoes. Another option could be to mix it into fried rice for a Tex-Mex twist on a Chinese takeout classic, or use it in place of beef in stuffed peppers. Given how much everyone seems to love this roast and its value, it doesn't seem like you can go wrong with any option.