Pork Carnitas

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Pork Carnitas are bites of pork that are cooked until melt in your mouth tender; then the pork is roasted at a high temperature just until caramelized and crisp on the edges.

Carnitas literally translates to “little meats.” This pork carnitas recipe was an enormous hit with my whole family the first time I made it and these Carnitas have been made on frequent repeat for over ten years now.

Pork Carnitas - in dutch oven (get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com)

For all the length of this recipe, the actual work involved is less than 20 minutes. The pork is delicious on rice, with potatoes, or stuffed into tacos or burritos.

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I could hardly stop sampling this meat as I was snapping a picture before serving our plates, it really is that good.

Pork Carnitas Recipe

The basic ingredients are simple as can be, but the result is mouthwateringly tender pieces of meat with a caramelized citrus sauce and plenty of flavor from an abundance of spices. (Unlike many of the Mexican recipes here, there’s no heat in this recipe for pork carnitas.)

  • Pork shoulder
  • Onion
  • Limes
  • Oranges
  • Spices
Pork Carnitas are a HUGE favorite with everyone! get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

Dutch Oven Carnitas

  1. Combine all the ingredients (including the spent orange halves) in a dutch oven or a large pot with an oven-safe lid. Bring the pot to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once the pot is simmering, move the pot to the oven and cook for about 2 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and falling apart.
  2. Remove the pot from the oven and preheat the oven to broil. Use a slotted spoon or a set of tongs to remove the meat from the pot and place it on a large foil-lined baking sheet. Remove and discard everything else in the pot, leaving only the liquid. Place the pot over high heat on the stove, for about 10-20 minutes. Boil it until the liquid is thick and syrup-like. There should be about 1 cup of liquid left in the pot.
  3. While the liquid is boiling and reducing, use the tongs or a pair of forks to very gently pull each piece of pork into 3 pieces. Avoid shredding the pork at this point, it will be very tender. Once the liquid has become thick and syrup-like, remove from the heat and place the pork back into the pot with the liquid. Gently fold the pieces into the liquid and try not to break them up further.
  4. Transfer the coated pork back onto the baking sheet, spreading it in just one layer across the pan. Place the baking sheet back in the oven on the same lower middle shelf. Broil for 6-8 minutes, until the meat is quite browned and slightly crispy on the edges. Remove from the oven and use your tongs or a large spatula to flip over each piece. Return the pan to the oven and broil the other side for 6-8 minutes, until both sides are well-browned and the edges are crisp.
Pork Carnitas - straight out of dutch oven - broken apart (get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com)

How To Make Carnitas

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas are another delicious carnitas recipe, and that recipe never fails to get rave reviews as well. However, if you have a few extra minutes to be hands-on in the kitchen, this classic carnitas recipe is my first choice for carnitas.

Serve the carnitas with Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas or The Best Gluten Free Flour Tortillas.

Turn this isn’t a Mexican feast with some Elote {Hot Mexican Corn Dip}, Chipotle Lime Rice, Avocado and Tomato Salad, or Black Bean and Corn Salad. However you serve them, these carnitas are about to rock your meal plan.

Also, if you’re lucky enough to have carnitas leftover, I highly recommend a skillet of Carnitas Breakfast Hash the next day.

Pork Carnitas

Kitchen Tip: I use this dutch oven, this sheet pan, and these tongs to make this recipe.

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Pork Carnitas - in dutch oven (get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com)

Pork Carnitas

4.72 from 14 votes
Carnitas are crispy juicy bites of pork. The pork is cooked until melt in your mouth tender; then roasted at high temperature until the edges caramelize.
Pin Print Review
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 10

Ingredients 

  • 4 lb boneless pork shoulder or butt roast fat trimmed slightly and then cut into large 2-3" chunks (they don't need to be perfect)
  • 1 onion ends cut off, halved and peeled
  • the juice of 1 medium orange or 4 tiny clementines save the spent halves
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

  • Adjust the oven rack to the lower middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine all the ingredients (including the spent orange halves) in a dutch oven or a large pot with an oven-safe lid. Bring the pot to a simmer over medium high heat. Once the pot is simmering, move the pot to the oven and cook for about 2 hours, until the meat is fork tender and falling apart.
  • Remove the pot from the oven and preheat the oven to broil. Use a slotted spoon or a set of tongs to remove the meat from the pot and place it on a large foil lined baking sheet.
  • Discard everything else in the pot, leaving only the liquid. Place the pot over high heat on the stove, for about 10-20 minutes. Boil it until the liquid is thick and syrup-like. There should be about 1 cup of liquid left in the pot.
  • While the liquid is boiling and reducing, use the tongs or a pair of forks to very gently pull each piece of pork into 3 pieces. Avoid shredding the pork at this point, it will be very tender.
  • Once the liquid has become thick and syrup-like, remove from the heat and place the pork back into the pot with the liquid. Gently fold the pieces into the liquid and try not to break them up further. Transfer the coated pork back onto the baking sheet, spreading it in just one layer across the pan. Place the baking sheet back in the oven on the same lower middle shelf.
  • Broil for 6-8 minutes, until the meat is quite browned and slightly crispy on the edges. Remove from the oven and use your tongs or a large spatula to flip over each piece. Return the pan to the oven and broil the other side for 6-8 minutes, until both sides are well-browned and the edges are crisp. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 242kcal · Carbohydrates: 2g · Protein: 41g · Fat: 6g · Saturated Fat: 1g · Cholesterol: 108mg · Sodium: 450mg · Potassium: 729mg · Sugar: 1g · Vitamin A: 30IU · Vitamin C: 7.8mg · Calcium: 24mg · Iron: 1.8mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

recipe slightly adapted from and with thanks to Cooks Illustrated via My Kitchen Escapades

{recipe originally posted 12/15/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 2/10/22}

Best Ever Pork Carnitas - get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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  1. Lorrie says

    Only reason for a 4 is because I’m making it right now. You say not to break it up any further while coating and spreading it on the foil lined pan to broil it but your pics say otherwise. I’m going to tear it up some in order to get it to look like your pics before and after it is broiled.4 stars

  2. Mark says

    Your pictures show the pork butt in large pieces, yet your direction are confused. In the ingredients, you say to cut the pork into 2-inch pieces, but your picture doesn’t show that until the broiling finish. You also refer to 3 pieces after cooking the oven. WTF.4 stars

    • Mary Younkin says

      I’m sorry to hear the directions were confusing for you, Mark. You’ll begin by breaking the raw pork roast into chunks of meat approximately 2-3″ in size. That’s how it is initially cooked. (In the photo in the Dutch oven with the oranges, the meat is all in a pile and smothered in seasonings, so it’s hard to see how small they are. AFTER it roasts in the oven, you’ll use tongs to pull each chunk of meat into about 3 pieces, making them bite-size. That’s what is pictured on the sheet pan. I hope that explanation helps, let me know if you have further questions!

    • Marilyn Blair says

      What is the very first thing on the list of ingredients?
      4 lb boneless pork shoulder or butt roast fat trimmed slightly and then CUT INTO LARGE 2″-3″ CHUNKS (they don’t need to be perfect).