Pork Carnitas

Slow-cooked pork shoulder, simmered until fall-apart tender with citrus and aromatics, then crisped to perfection, ideal for making delicious tacos with your favorite toppings.

• Prep: 15 min
• Cook: 4 hr
• Total: 4 hr 15 min
• Servings: 8
• Cuisine: Mexican
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $2.99/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein
• Low-Sugar

Tags

• slow cooker
• comfort food
• savory
• rich
• crowd-pleaser
• special occasion

Ingredients

• 4 pound pork shoulder (boneless, cut into 2-inch chunks)
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 orange (large, quartered)
• 1 lime (large, halved)
• 1 yellow onion (large, quartered)
• 4 clove garlic (smashed)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1.5 cup water
• 24 corn tortillas (small)
• 0.5 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 0.5 cup white onion (finely diced)
• 2 limes (cut into wedges)
• 1 cup salsa

Instructions

1. Season the 4 pounds pork shoulder generously with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
2. Place the seasoned pork in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot. Add the quartered large orange, halved large lime, quartered large yellow onion, 4 smashed cloves garlic, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon cumin.
3. Pour in the 1 1/2 cups water or chicken broth, ensuring liquid covers about one-third of the pork.
4. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer gently for 3-4 hours, or until the pork is fall-apart tender. Alternatively, braise in a preheated oven at 300°F for 3-4 hours.
5. Once cooked, remove the pork from the liquid and place it on a large baking sheet. Using two forks, shred the pork into smaller pieces. Discard the citrus, onion, garlic, and bay leaves from the cooking liquid. Skim any excess fat from the cooking liquid and reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid.
6. Preheat your broiler. Broil the shredded pork for 5-10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the edges are crispy and slightly caramelized. Drizzle with the reserved cooking liquid to keep it moist and flavorful.
7. Warm the 24 small corn tortillas according to package directions. Serve the crispy pork carnitas in warm tortillas with chopped fresh cilantro, finely diced white onion, lime wedges, and salsa.

Notes

Pork Carnitas are fantastic for meal prep! The cooked and shredded pork can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet or oven until warmed through and crisped.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 550
• Protein: 50 g
• Carbohydrates: 25 g
• Fat: 28 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Sodium: 780 mg
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Sugar: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 160 mg