I love making this carnitas recipe because of how easy it is and how versatile the meat is. Add your crispy, juicy pork to a taco, rice bowl, quesadilla, enchilada, or sandwich. The meat is juicy, salty, and flavorful. Whether you make it in the slow cooker or a Dutch oven on the stovetop, it's perfect for any day of the week.
Ingredients
Notes & Substitutions
- Boneless Pork Shoulder - Pork shoulder can be sold under several names: boneless pork butt, Boston butt, or even pork for carnitas. Cut the meat into 2-3-inch cubes for even and faster cooking. Make sure to trim the excess fat before cooking.
- Onion - You can use a sweet onion or a white onion in this recipe. I discarded the onions at the end since the texture is pretty soft, but if you like that, they would be good for tacos, enchilada filling, or in a burrito bowl.
- Garlic Cloves - You could also use 2 teaspoons of garlic powder. Garlic cooked in acidic liquid (orange or lime juice) can turn blue/green. It's a harmless chemical reaction, and you aren't eating the garlic in this recipe.
- Organic Juice - I noticed no difference between using fresh oranges and using organic juice.
- Lime Juice - You can use 2-3 fresh limes or bottled lime juice for this recipe.
Full ingredient list with quantities in the recipe card below
How to Make Carnitas on the Stove
1) Cook the Pork
Simmer cubed pork shoulder with onion, garlic, lime & orange juice, salt, oregano, and water for about 2 hours until tender.
2) Shred & Reduce
Shred the pork, then reduce the cooking liquid by half and pour some over the meat on a baking sheet.
3) Crisp your Carnitas
Broil 4-6 minutes, toss with more liquid, then broil again until crispy. Finish with salt and lime juice if desired.
How to Make Carnitas in a Slow Cooker
1) Cook the Pork
Add cubed pork shoulder, onion, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, salt, and oregano to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours until tender.
2) Shred
Shred the pork, spread it on a baking sheet, and pour about ½ cup of the cooking liquid over the top.
3) Crisp Your Carnitas
Broil 5-7 minutes until crispy, flip the meat, add more liquid, and broil again for 4-6 minutes. Finish with salt and lime juice if desired.
Ways to Eat Carnitas
Tacos - Top with onion, cilantro, and lime juice. You can also add pico de gallo and guacamole.
Carnitas Quesadillas - Crispy tortillas filled with melty cheese and carnitas. This is my favorite way to use up leftovers.
Carnitas Enchiladas - Roll carnitas into tortillas and cover with enchilada sauce and cheese.
Burrito Bowls - Add cilantro lime rice, carnitas, pico de gallo, black beans, corn, guacamole, salsa, and shredded lettuce.
Nachos - Layer over tortilla chips with cheese, jalapeños, beans, and sour cream.
Loaded Fries - Top crispy fries with carnitas, cheese, pico de gallo, and crema.
Carnitas Burrito- Spread refried beans on a crispy tostada shell and top with carnitas and fresh toppings.
Breakfast Hash - Serve with crispy potatoes and eggs for breakfast.
Common Questions
How do I store leftovers?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can I freeze carnitas?
Freeze with some cooking liquid for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in the oven at 350°F until warmed through and crispy around the edges.
What toppings go well with carnitas?
Onion, cilantro, lime juice, pico de gallo, salsa, guacamole, cotija cheese, and pickled onions are all great options.
Sides for Carnitas
- Mexican Rice- Great side dish with simple ingredients.
- Black Bean and Corn Salad- Packed with black beans, sweet corn, and fresh vegetables.
- Chamoy Fruit Salad with Tajín- It has watermelon, mango, pineapple, cantaloupe, chamoy sauce, and Tajín seasoning.
- Green Poblano Rice - Ready in just 35 minutes, this rice adds a delicious, bright flavor to your dinner!
Tried this recipe? Let everyone know how it turned out! Your feedback and tips help others decide if they should make it.
Tasty Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder* cut into 2-3 inch cubes trim off excess fat
- 1 onions roughly chopped
- 6 garlic cloves smashed or roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh orange juice about 2-3 oranges
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice about 2-3 limes, plus more for taste
- 2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2-3 limes for garnish
Instructions
Stove Top Version
- Place the pork shoulder ( trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch cubes) in to a large Dutch oven with the chopped onion, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, salt, and oregano. Add enough water to barely cover the meat. Bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and simmer with the lid on for 2 hours. The pork is done when it's falling apart to the touch.
- Remove the pork from the Dutch oven and place onto a baking sheet.
- Remove excess oil and any impurities left behind in the cooking liquid. Boil over medium - high for 20-30 minutes. You want to reduce the liquid by half
- Use two forks to shred the pork. Remove any large pieces of fat. Spread the shredded carnitas over the whole sheet pan.
- After the liquid finishes reducing, pour about ½ cup of the reduced liquid over the shredded carnitas.
- Turn on the broiler and place the sheet pan on the middle-rack of the oven. Broil for 4-6 minutes, until meat is browned and edges are crispy. Remove from oven, toss the meat, pour about ½ cup of broth and then broil again for 4-6 minutes.
- Taste and season with more salt to help bring out the flavors. Squeeze more lime juice on top if desired.
Slow Cooker Version
- Place the pork shoulder ( trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch cubes) in to your slow cooker with the chopped onion, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, salt, and oregano.
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. The pork is done when it's easily shredded with two forks.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place onto a baking sheet. Use two forks to shred the pork. Remove any large pieces of fat. Spread the shredded carnitas over the whole sheet pan.
- Pour about ½ cup of the liquid from the slow cooker over the shredded carnitas.
- Turn on the broiler and place the sheet pan on the middle-rack of the oven. Broil for 5-7 minutes, until meat is browned and edges are crispy.
- Remove from the oven, flip the pieces of meat to the other side, pour about ¼ cup of the cooking liquid and broil again for 4-6 minutes.
- Taste and season with more salt to help bring out the flavors. Squeeze more lime juice on top if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and may vary based on the ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!