Pork Carnitas
Simmering the pork in its own fat with citrus and spices, then broiling it briefly at the end, gives you meat that's both fall-apart tender and crispy at the edges.
Serves
6
Prep
20 minutes
Cook
3 hours
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 onion, quartered
- 8 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 orange, halved
- 2 limes, halved
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken broth or water
- Corn tortillas, diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and salsa, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- 2
Season the pork chunks all over with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano.
- 3
Place the seasoned pork in a large Dutch oven along with the onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
- 4
Squeeze the juice from the orange and limes directly over the pork, then nestle the squeezed citrus halves into the pot as well (their pith and peel add extra flavor as they cook).
- 5
Pour in the chicken broth — it won't fully cover the meat, and that's fine, since the pork will release plenty of its own fat and juices as it cooks.
- 6
Cover tightly and braise in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the pork is completely tender and shreds easily with a fork.
- 7
Remove from the oven and discard the bay leaves and citrus halves. Using two forks, shred the pork directly in the pot, mixing it with the flavorful juices.
- 8
Preheat the broiler. Spread the shredded pork in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet, spooning a little of the cooking liquid over the top to keep it moist.
- 9
Broil for 5–8 minutes, watching closely, until the edges of the pork turn deeply browned and crispy in spots. Toss the meat and broil for another 3–4 minutes if you want more crispy bits throughout.
- 10
Serve hot, piled into warm corn tortillas with diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and salsa.
Chef's Tip — Don't drain off the braising liquid before broiling — spooning some over the shredded meat keeps it from drying out under the broiler while the edges crisp up.
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More Beef & Pork Mains
Classic Beef Bourguignon
Julia Child's famous braise proves that time, not complexity, is what turns tough chuck into something silky — nearly every step here is about layering flavor slowly.
Braised Short Ribs
Short ribs need low, slow, moist heat to break down their heavy connective tissue into rich gelatin — rushing this cut with high heat only makes it tougher.
Beef Stroganoff
Searing the beef quickly over very high heat, then finishing the sauce separately and combining at the last second, keeps the meat tender instead of turning it grey and chewy.