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These Slow-Cooked Mexican Pork Carnitas transform a humble pork shoulder into tender, citrus-and-spice infused meat that's then crisped up until the edges turn golden and caramelized. Perfect piled into tacos, burritos, or bowls, this is the same restaurant-style carnitas method used in taquerias, made easy at home.
Prep Time
15 min
Per serving
340kcal
Calories
30g
Protein
4g
Cook Time
480 min
Servings
8 people
Difficulty
easy
Carbs
22g
Fat
1g
Fiber
2g
Sugar
Follow step-by-step with voice guidance.
Cut the pork shoulder into large chunks and season generously with the salt, cumin, oregano, and black pepper.
Place the pork in a slow cooker along with the sliced onion, minced garlic, orange juice, lime juice, and bay leaves.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or high for 5 hours), until the pork is completely tender and shreds easily with a fork.
Remove the pork from the slow cooker, discard the bay leaves, and shred the meat using two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat.
Strain and reserve the cooking liquid, skimming off excess fat from the top.
Spread the shredded pork on a large baking sheet, drizzle with a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking liquid, and broil for 5-8 minutes, until the edges turn crispy and caramelized, tossing once halfway through.
Serve the crispy carnitas piled into warm corn tortillas with diced onion, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Broil for the Crispy Edges: Skipping the broiling step leaves the carnitas soft throughout - that final blast of high heat is what creates the classic crispy, caramelized bits that make carnitas special. Don't Discard the Cooking Liquid: Spooning some of the flavorful braising liquid back over the shredded meat before broiling keeps it moist and adds deep flavor. Use a Fatty Cut of Pork: Pork shoulder (also called pork butt) has enough fat marbling to stay juicy through the long, slow cook - leaner cuts will dry out.
Yes, use a covered Dutch oven in a 150°C (300°F) oven for about 3-3.5 hours, or a pressure cooker for about 60-75 minutes, until the pork shreds easily.
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