An authentic Pork Carnitas Recipe that is completely addictive! First, the carnitas cook slowly in an Instant Pot, on the stove, or in your slow cooker before putting it in the oven to become crispy and caramelized. This Mexican pulled pork is the perfect filling for tacos, burritos, or nachos. This is my most popular recipe for a reason my friends but don’t you dare skip the last step of this fabulous carnitas meat….
What I Love About this Pork Carnitas Recipe?
While there are a few extra steps to this slow cooker carnitas recipe, none of them are hard or time-consuming. And, the end result is out of this world. I have made these twice already in the past month and I have the fixings in the fridge for Round #3.
The meat is completely melt-in-your-mouth, while the caramelization on the outside multiplies the amazing flavors. Our family has a hard time not eating it all before we get the chance to stick some in a homemade flour tortilla.
A Funny History with this Carnitas Recipe
If you are looking for some entertainment, take a quick jump into the comments of this carnitas recipe and you’ll experience quite the political debate alongside the rave reviews for the recipe. You see, I dared to make the following “commentary” on an election, and readers continue to mix the political with the culinary:
Well, we all survived another election season. Just in time to make us extra cranky for the holidays, right? Do your favorite food blogger a favor, please? Pour all your frustrations, anger, and crankiness from the election process/results into something productive. Like food.
I promise you (and a real promise, not a politician-type promise) that this pork carnitas recipe will make you happy, mellow, and in the greatest mood you have been in for months. These authentic carnitas will change how you view any meat you put in your tacos from now on.
Carole
So, if you are brave enough to enter the comment section below, bring your sense of humor with you!
What is Carnitas?
Carnitas are a popular Mexican pulled pork dish. The meat is braised slowly until very tender and juicy on the inside, then broiled until crispy and caramelized on the outside. It is that last step under the broiler that distinguishes carnitas meat from other Mexican pork recipes.
The word “carnitas” translates to “little meats” in English. A perfect description because you’ll cut the large pork butt or pork shoulder into 2-inch pieces, then slowly cook them at a low temperature. Serve those little, bite-sized pieces of meat as a main dish, or inside a taco, burrito, or nachos.
How to Make the Best Pork Carnitas?
Time needed: 3 hours.
How to Make Carnitas?
- Use a fatty piece of meat
I get a lot of questions asking if this same recipe and technique can be used with a pork loin or chicken breasts. The answer is no. You should choose a pork butt because of the fat and sinew. It becomes so tender while cooking that it melts in your mouth. That will never happen with a low-fat form of protein. If you want authentic carnitas, embrace the butt.
- Cook the Mexican pork low and slow
To create a perfect tender bite that is infused with flavor, this recipe calls for a slow braise using an enameled cast iron dutch oven, but you can certainly use a crockpot or slow cooker. However, you will end up with a larger amount of liquid in a slow cooker. Give yourself more time to create that thick liquid in Step 5 of the recipe.
- Use a broiler to concentrate the flavor
I know many of you will want to skip the last step of this recipe, but take a look at my photo. Do you see that gorgeous caramelization on the outside of the meat? That isn’t just for looks my friend! That concentrated flavor makes the whole recipe shine. So, take the extra 3 minutes to put the finished carnitas under the broiler.
Pork Carnitas Recipe FAQs
Traditional pork carnitas use a pork butt or pork shoulder in the recipe. While two different names are used, a pork butt and pork shoulder are the exact same cut of meat. The name only depends on where you live and the pork supplier. Because of the high-fat content, a pork butt allows the meat to stay tender as it cooks and creates the best flavor in carnitas meat. A leaner cut of pork meat will not create the same texture or flavor.
While both start from the same cut of meat, a pork butt, you’ll find the differences in seasoning, cooking, and serving of the meat. Pulled pork often cooks the whole pork butt at once until it is tender enough to shred. Carnitas, on the other hand, begin as small 2-inch cubes and seasoned with spices, lime juice, and orange juice then braised until tender.
The biggest contrast between carnitas and pulled pork is in how you treat the meat once it finishes cooking. Mexican pulled pork is simply a shredded pork butt. Pork carnitas have a few extra steps after the meat is fully cooked. You’ll reduce the cooking liquid until syrupy and pour it over the small pieces of meat. Once coated, the meat caramelizes under a broiler until crispy edges form. This end treatment is what gives carnitas meat such a loyal following!
Besides the classic corn or Homemade Flour Tortillas, a serving of Cilantro Lime Rice or Mexican Barley Salad with Beans, Corn, & Jicama would be perfect side dishes. A simple green salad with a favorite dressing also pairs well. My personal favorite is this Tomatillo Avocado Ranch Dressing. Want something super simple to serve on the side? Just open a can of black beans and heat them up in the microwave.
Instant Pot pork carnitas are great because the pork butt does especially well in a pressure cooker. Depending on the size of the Instant Pot, you might need to reduce the size of the recipe. The recipe will fit inside a 6-quart enameled cast iron dutch oven so if the Instant Pot cannot handle that amount of ingredients, equally reduce the measurements accordingly, including the amount of pork.
Also, reduce the amount of water by half if using an Instant Pot since little to no evaporation will occur while cooking. If you don’t reduce the water, there will be too much cooking liquid for Step 6, reducing it into the syrup at the end. The carnitas meat should cook for about 50-60 minutes and let it naturally release the pressure, which will take about 15-20 minutes.
How to Freeze Pork Carnitas?
Pork carnitas freeze very well, but it’s important to know how to do it correctly. Because the crispy pork meat will turn all mushy in the freezer, it is best to follow the recipe all the way to the end of step 6 and then stop. Package the cooked pork and the reduced cooking liquid into two separate freezer bags. Remove the excess air and lay them flat to freeze.
When it comes time to serve the carnitas, let the two bags thaw in the refrigerator for a few days then finish the recipe starting with step 7. It will be perfect and no one will ever know the carnitas meat had been in the freezer for weeks.
How to Best Store and Serve Leftover Carnitas Meat?
There is no denying this recipe for carnitas is best fresh and hot from the oven. However, if you are lucky enough to have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Because the carnitas meat will lose its crispiness in the refrigerator, be sure to add a few dashes of water to the pork so it won’t dry out when reheating. Spread the meat onto a baking sheet and place them back under the broiler until they crisp up again.
How to Make Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas?
While the original recipe calls for a slow braise in the oven, pork carnitas can find complete success inside a slow cooker or Crock-Pot as well. Just follow along with these tips to guarantee the crock pot carnitas will be great:
- Reduce the water to 1 ½ cups. Because a slow cooker uses a lower temperature compared to braising in the oven, little to no water evaporates during the cooking process. This leaves way too much liquid for step 4 of the recipe.
- Use the low setting on the slow cooker for 6- 8 hours or the high setting for 4-6 hours. The end result should be super tender and easily fall apart. Don’t rush this step. Give it more time if needed.
- Follow all other instructions as written. Just don’t give up on that reduction of the cooking liquid in Step 4. It will take time due to extra moisture from cooking at a lower temperature.
Side Dishes for Carnitas
Pork Carnitas Recipe VIDEO
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Pork Carnitas Recipe
Authentic Mexican pulled pork carnitas recipe are my most popular recipe for a reason! Because they are the best 🙂
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: Serves 12 1x
Ingredients
- 4 pound boneless pork butt, fat trimmed and cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 Tb fresh lime juice
- 2 C water
- 1 medium orange, juiced and keep the spent halves
Instructions
- Prep: Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat to 300 degrees.
- Combine all the ingredients in a large Dutch oven, including the spent orange halves and juice.
- Braise: Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, uncovered. Once it simmers, cover pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook until the meat falls apart when prodded with a fork, about 2 hours. You can also complete this step in a crock pot set on high for 6-7 hours. You will have more liquid to reduce in the next step however.
- Reduce: Remove the pot from the oven and turn on the broiler. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan and place it on a large foil-lined jelly roll pan.
- Remove and discard everything from the pot except for the cooking liquid. Place pot over high heat on the stove and boil until it thickens and syrupy, about 20 – 30 minutes. You should have about 1 C of liquid remaining when it is finished.
- Shred: While the liquid is reducing, use two forks to pull each cube of pork into three equal sized pieces. Once the liquid has reduced, gently fold in the pieces of pork into the pot. Try not to break up the pork any further. Taste and add additional salt and pepper.
- Broil: Spread the pork back onto the foil lined pan and evenly spread the meat around so there is a single layer of meat. Place the jelly roll pan on the lower middle rack of the oven and broil until the top of the meat is well browned and edges are slightly crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes. Using a wide metal spatula, flip the pieces of meat and broil the other side until well browned and edges are slightly crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately in a tortilla with all your favorite toppings.
Notes
For Instant Pot Carnitas instructions
For Slow Cooker Carnitas instructions
(recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Braised
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12th
- Calories: 365
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 389 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
Keywords: pork carnitas recipe, instant pot pork carnitas, slow cooker pork carnitas
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Melanie C says
Do you think this could be done in a crock pot possibly? Just curious!
Thank you
Brittanyann says
I know this is an old post but in case anyone else wants to know I thought I’d answer. I have only made this in the Dutch oven once and have made it in the crockpot at least 30 times because we love it so much. I actually have it cooking in my crockpot right now. This is our go to for party’s and large groups. We follow the recipe except that we use a crockpot and do 1 and 1/2 cup water instead of 2. I cook it for 8 hours on low. I then scoop the meat out onto a foil lined pan and take out the Orange, onion, and bay leaves. I pour the sauce into a pot on the stove and follow the directions. It’s actually the best carnitas that I can get in my town.
Carole says
Thank you so much Brittany for your helpful comment! I appreciate when my readers share their experiences with recipes
Dana says
I made this for a celebration dinner for President Trump winning the election. It was as excellent as the results of the election!
Carole says
Glad you they both turned out in a way that made you happy Dana 🙂
George says
Full of fat and completely tasteless?
Leslie says
This is an awesome recipe! My family loved it so much that we plan on making it to celebrate Trump’s upcoming impeachment!
Carole says
Thanks Leslie 🙂 That made me laugh!
Sheri says
I’m making this to celebrate President Trump’s historical accomplishment of bringing North Korea to the bargaining table. And their denuclearization. The world is a safer place thanks to our brilliant negotiator and humanitarian.
Amanda says
This comment thread is making me giggle, especially the humanitarian word being used. I’m making these carnitas to celebrate Memorial Day. 🙂
Brigid says
I made this when the North Korean dictator turned us into a laughing stock on the world stage by visiting a potato farm instead of following up with ‘peacemaker’ Trump.
Make sure to follow the recipie!
Know that reduction means to make smaller, not increase… like what North Korea is doing with its nuclear arsenal after meeting Trump, and shaking hands.
Also, rough chopping cilantro to serve on top is a perfect garnish.
Enjoy!
Terri says
REALLY?! Why did you have to go and spoil this just because that vicious hag HRC lost? Maybe you should read up on some of her activities before posting a political opinion along with a recipe! Politics and recipes are not a good mix!
Carole says
Hey Terri….this recipe is way back from 2012 and the post has ZERO political opinion. It was about the anxiety, frustration, and crankiness we were all feeling about the political PROCESS. No matter if our candidates won or lost, the process is exhausting. I do not mention any candidates. I don’t even mention if they are national, state, or local elections. You forced YOUR political agenda onto a lighthearted post about how awesome food can make things better.
Trump2020 says
This sounds like an awesome dish to try while I watch the I.C.E raids going on. Can’t wait!
Sarah says
I am going to make this to celebrate that my President did not get impeached.
Txberta says
Hooray for you, Dana … and all of us pro-Trumpers! We had the biggest celebration in 2016 over his big win and can hardly wait to do it again this year! We also served these delicious pork carnitas at our party. I’ve never been political about a food comment, but the author of this recipe got us going in that vein! Can’t we all just love each other?
Carole says
I’m so glad you loved these carnitas! The funny part of this post, is that this recipe was written back in 2012 with Obama / Romney and everyone assumes it is about the current political environment, and people make so many assumptions about which “side” I was on! Never once do I mention any party or candidate. Politics! I’m all for your loving everyone, no matter how you vote!
David H. Albright says
So sorry that neither one worked out for you.
L.Z says
OMG political talk over a “recipe” …..
Very SAD
Lois Rosen says
Why because he loves Mexican people so much. Really?
Emorade Nonurbuz says
And now I’m making them to celebrate the fact that that POS orange menace is going to jail. I will eat these with delight as the senior spy, crook and liar will continue to be disgraced and put behind bars! What a joke to have trash like him anywhere near our nation’s secret. Hope he rots along with the MAGA trash.
Camela says
I should have posted this a year ago when I found this recipe but I forgot to! I was just sending the link to a friend and thought about it! My husband and I absolutely LOVE this recipe for carnitas! We make it about once a month in the slow cooker. (I love the set it and forget it aspect of the slow cooker!) I have also made it at a couple of get togethers we’ve had and it was a HUGE hit for everyone there also! For the crockpot I used the tip from Brittanyann about reducing the liquid, I only put a cup at the most, but I usually use a large orange too so it gets a little more juice from that too. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS RECIPE!
Carole says
You are very welcome Camela! Thank you for coming back and sharing your experience with everyone.
Camela says
So, since my last post about this delicious recipe, my husband and I were gifted a Power Cooker electric pressure cooker. I was very skeptical at first (scared of the old school ones I guess and it carried over). But we absolutely LOVE it and have been trying some of our favorite slow cooker recipes in it. 2 days ago we tried this recipe for carnitas. I will say it is THE BEST we have had! Even more tender than the slow cooker! I had about 6 1/2 lbs of meat after discarding the fat and bone so I used a bit more seasoning and I used a cup of water and a large orange’s juice and the juice from 2 limes. It totaled about 2 cups. I still put in the orange peels and reduced the liquid after cooking to go on the shredded meat under the broiler. I did 60 minutes and let it naturally release pressure for about 20 minutes. Just in case anyone else may want to try it!
Carole says
Thank you for coming back and sharing your tips Camela!
Cassy says
Hello, I just came across.this recipe and saw your conversion tips. If you don’t have as large of an amount of meat, what amount of liquid would you use? Thanks so much for taking the time to put in your, well, input. 🙂
Carole says
Just do even ratios! If you cut your meat down by 1/3, do the same for all the other ingredients as well. Enjoy
Carla says
Thank you for answering this!!! I was just told about this recipe today and I was just thinking about crockpot, when I saw your reply! I am going to try it in the crockpot.
Jill says
Thanks for answering this, I need this for a progressive dinner ‘football’ theme the night before SuperBowl!!
Carole says
Sounds like a great time Jill!
Mindi says
Great idea. Thank you!!
Christina says
I am having a large fiesta theme party. What would you recommend for a large crowd? 25-30 people? There will be about 75 total, but there will be a ton of other food…Thanks!
Carole says
Hi Christina! Sounds like quite the party and a ton of fun. If you are serving the meat in small tortillas, this recipe will easily make 20-25 tacos. Have a great time! -Carole
Sydney says
This recipe is incredible!! Hands-down the best carnitas I’ve ever had, and I can’t believe they came from my kitchen! They turned out so flavorful and tender; my family went nuts for this meal tonight! The only difference I made was to add a few cloves of garlic (whole) to the Dutch oven along with all the other aromatics/seasonings. Thank you so much for sharing, this recipe is a keeper!
Carole says
I’m so happy to hear you loved it as much as I do Sydney!
Benjamin Romas says
One thing everyone is missing with this recipe is COTIJA cheese as a topping for your taco. ESSENTIAL!
Carole says
On that point Benjamin, I would have to agree completely!
Charlene says
When you do this recipe in the crock pot, do you simmer it on the stove first, or just put everything in the crock pot and set it to low until it’s done? Thanks!!
Carole says
Charlene- I’ve never made it in the crockpot before but I know some of my readers have. My guess would be to put it all in the crockpot.
Lorene Bradley says
Can this be made in a slow cooker please.
Carole says
Hi Lorene! I have never made it in a slow cooker, but if you read through the comments, there are others who have had great success using one!
kathy says
I was wondering if i could use a beef roast instead of the pork. Or do you have a recipe like this using beef. I made this one and everyone LOVED it. Thanks
Carole says
Hey Kathy! I have never tried it using beef but if you do try it, be sure you use a similar cut of meat like the pork butt. Well marbled and sinews because you need a cut that will do well in the Dutch oven. Let me know how it turns out!
Brian says
I’d definitely try it with well-trimmed chuck roast.
heather says
do you cut the meat in cubes before you put it in the croc pot?
Carole says
Large chunks and 2×2 inches and then after it is cooked, your break it down smaller pieces.
M says
Do you add the fat you trim as well?
Carole says
Hi Melissa! I don’t add the extra trimmed fat.
Kristina says
Thanks bunches, I went ahead and did it in the crockpot before reading this comment! So thanks for the helpful hints! Looking forward to this on our chilly Fall evening!
Christina says
Anyone can tell me what is a jelly rolled pan ?? Thanks
Carole says
Hey Christina – a jelly roll pan is a half sheet pan with edges. You can use any cookie sheet as long as it has edges but if you don’t have a half sheet size, you will need to use two smaller pans.
melissa says
Thank you! Making it tomorrow for the first time!
JEN says
I did this last night in the crock pot and it worked fine. Like the other comment, use less water. The only thing is I didn’t get a liquid left that boiled down to make a glaze…I tried but it remained pretty loose. I still put some over the top before broiling the meat, not sure if it mattered though. Overall, was a yummy, easy way to have a taco (or other) filling ready to go.
Carole says
So glad it worked for you Jen! I’m going to have to give it a try in my slow cooker next time! -Carole
Michelle says
I make this in my Pressure Cooker. Just 18 minutes! Yes, you read that right 18 minutes! Scoop the meat out into a cooking dish. Cook down the juices right in the Pressure Cooker in the Saute mode. Then pour the thickened juices over the meat and Broil in the oven for about 20 minutes. YUM! Done in half the time!!!!
Carole says
Awesome time saving tip Michelle! Thanks for sharing it
Trisha says
Michelle
Did you use high and a quick release on your pressure cooker?
Carrol says
Genius! I usually put my roasts in the electric pressure cooker for a jump start to tenderness before putting them in the smoker. I’ll definitely be doing this in the PC today.
Carole says
Let me know how it goes Carrol!
Renea Wilson says
Wow!!!
Tobie says
I make this recipe all the time in my crockpot. I leave the roast whole, combine all of the ingredients, and cook on low or high for 3-7 hours depending on what setting you use. Until it shreds nicely!! I take all of the shredded meat and then transfer to my baking sheet, or a glass cake pan and then broil for about 15 minutes watching so it doesn’t get burnt. It great, and so easy! It doesn’t get that thick syrupy consistency though doing it this way, but it still is amazing!!!!!!! I LOVE this recipe, and it’s always a hit with guests! This is my I’m having company over taco bar dinner night go to recipe <3
Carole says
Thanks so much for sharing Tobie 🙂
Rachel says
Just an FYI, you should never use a glass pan if the oven is on broil (or over 400 F). There have been many reports of the glass shattering, sometimes not until the oven door is opened, which you can imagine could cause serious injuries!
Carole says
Agreed Rachel, which is why the instructions call for a jelly roll pan. That is a metal cookie sheet with sides. Thanks for keeping us safe!
Liz says
LEt me know if you did try it in a crockpot. I am going to try my pork loin instead. I already bought it so I am going to use it instead of pork butt.
Carole says
Hey Liz! A pork loin will result in a significant difference in both texture and flavor. A butt has the tendons and fat needed for braising. Your loin will dry out quickly.
cheri bruning says
Are you serious???
Tammy says
I did this in my instant pot. I put everything in and cooked it on high for 90 minutes. It was amazing! It smelled so good that when my mom stopped over she kept saying, “What are you making? It smells so good.” After the 3rd time I had thi invite her thi stay! I will definitely make it again!
(I also used chicken broth instead of water.)
Carole says
Thank you Tammy for your great insights using your InstaPot!
Pat Wolcott says
Thanks for letting us know about using an Instant Pot…I was wondering how to do it and you gave me the answer!!
Donna Tanner says
Did you cut the meat up?
Nancy Stiver says
I find it reprehensible that people have to post about politics. That is not appropriate banter for a food website. Keep your opinions to political articles. There are plenty of them.
Carole says
I’m not sure Melanie. In theory, the slow cook portion could work in a crock pot but I wouldn’t skip the reducing of the liquid and broiling. Those two steps are truly what sets this recipe apart from other carnitas.
Rhonda says
This is either a silly question or I have not had enough coffee yet: Do you add the orange pieces & juice also, or just the rind halves?
Carole says
Not silly at all. I can see how you questioned that. I will fix the instructions to be more clear. Yes, you add the juice of the orange as well as the spent halves.
belle jean says
Do you have to use pork butt?
Susan says
Happy Birthday & Thanks for the recipe!!!
Susan
myhookandI.blogspot.com
Carole says
Belle- you could use a shoulder as well. I would not use a loin because there just isn’t enough fat and marbling.
Erica {let why lead} says
This looks delicious, and the extra steps are brilliant! I can imagine they’d make a big difference. I found this on pinterest and am looking forward to trying it this week, as well as seeing what else you’ve got on here! 🙂 Thanks!
Rhonda says
Just had this for supper 🙂 I was surprised how tender the meat was. Definitely a keeper!
Carole says
So glad you liked it Rhonda! Thanks for sharing.
RenaeInCA says
This is my new go-to recipe for carnitas! And our friends rave about my carnitas 🙂 Our grocery store didn’t have pork roasts today, so I used boneless country ribs and it worked perfectly. Less cutting, too!
Carole says
Yea Renae! Thanks so much for sharing your results. Glad you loved them too!
jessib says
What if you don’t own a Dutch oven?
Carole says
Jessi- just use a large pot that is the same size. You might need to cook the meat a bit longer and stir it a few times because the cast iron Dutch oven is a better heat conductor.
Jess says
I made this tonight, I only had a loin and I do not have a Dutch oven, but I was successful. I have a roasting pan, so I put everything in that to cook for 2 hours. I covered it in foil and then placed a cookie sheet on top as the lid. When the meat was ready to be broiled, I drizzled olive oil over it all, and that helped it crisp up and stay juicy. Will definitely use the Boston butt next time, but hey, it was still good! Even made fresh corn tortillas to go with it 🙂
Carole says
Awesome Jess! Thanks for coming back and sharing your results!
CherubMamma says
I’ve done this in the crock pot and then just broiled the meat with the reduced juices. Easy peasy and oh so yummy!!!
glutenfreespinner says
Hi Carole…a fellow MN food blogger here and equally frustrated with the election process and results! Still haven’t recovered…maybe your pork carnitas will prove a yummy distraction. Thanks for a refreshing post! Come visit me! glutenfreespinner.com
Mary
Nicole says
Made this tonight and everyone loved it! I even used this recipe as an excuse to go buy a Dutch oven :). Definitely something I will make again and again.
Jenn says
This looks amazing! Found you via Pinterest, you have a lovely blog… following!
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¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*¨)
(¸.·´ (¸.·`¤… Jennifer
https://jennsrandomscraps.blogspot.ca
https://pinterest.com/jennp6/
Susan Andrews says
I made this today. Went the crock pot route. It took a good 8 hours to cook to the desired tenderness. I used only 1 C of water & added several garlic cloves. Mmmmmmm! I love he crisp it up part at the end! Thanks for sharing!
Slice of Southern says
This looks delishhh! Glad I found you, I’m your newest follower.
MJG says
I’m not sure why, but my juices/liquid isn’t reducing to anything thick or syrupy. Bummer! I am going to finish it anyway and I’m sure it’ll be good, just not as good. Thanks for sharing!
Jason Collins says
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it!
Lori says
This recipe is PERFECT for at-home Tacos Al Pastor! If you aren’t familiar with them, they are little tacos made with a lightly fried corn tortilla (not fried crispy), seasoned pork, a couple strips of pineapple, then topped with heaping helpings of chopped cilantro, onion, and a generously squeezed lime wedge. They are SO FRESH and delicious! I’ve never made them at home before but I definitely give it a try with your pork carnitas recipe! I think it will be a hit. THANKS! (And hopefully it will take my mind off the election results. Blah.)
Mama B says
I think I may bring this to a Christmas potluck this year. I imagine it would work to make it ahead, broiling and all, and then keep it warm in a crockpot. Thanks for sharing.
Eric says
Hi, we have been using this recipe for years and love it. Recently I left the pork in for 5 hrs(oops) the pork isn’t too dry but I’ve lost most of my liquid. Is there a fix for this? Thanks
Carole Jones says
Hi Eric! The best you could do is add some water, bring it to a boil, and see what happens. Good luck!
leslie cunningham says
CROCK POT VERSION: i really wanted to make this, but needed it to be in the crock pot, so i threw all the ingredients into the pot and cooked it on high for 5-6 hours. i took out the pork, then poured the juiced through a strainer into a dutch oven, which is where the reducing took place. folded the meat back into the dutch oven and broiled it.
and OH. MY. STARS. so so good. my florida-native husband who grew up eating cuban food kept asking about the meat and telling me that this is definitely a “make again” meal. i served it on tortillas, but i also tried it on rice (what can i say, i’m pregnant with twins and wanted to try it a couple of different ways!). both were fantastic. there were some leftovers that i’ll probably put into a quesadilla for lunch today.
thanks for the recipe!
~Jennifer J. says
I just came over from Pinterest. These sound so good!
(I’m also a fellow Minnesotan who shares your feelings about the election process/results.) (:
Can’t wait to try these!
~ Jennifer
Kate says
These are amazing. Made them for dinner exactly as is and I’ll admit although I was skeptical every step of the way, they turned out PERFECT. Probably a top 5 thing I’ve ever made. Used the meat to make Verde burritos served with spanish rice and black beans. Thanks!
Anonymous says
Made these today…absolutely delicious. The broiling is a key step!
Anonymous says
I did not like it at all lol!
Mica says
Looks fabulous! Can’t wait to try it! About how many servings does it make?? I’m thinking about making this for my family during Christmas. There will be around 13-15 adults. Should I double or tripple the recipe?
Carole says
Mica- it depends how you are serving it. If you Are putting it in tacos or burritos, then I would double it for 15 adults. If you are serving it as a main solo dish, then triple.
Unknown says
Made this tonight, it was fabulous. Lots of work but worth it. Even the kids ate two helpings.
Mica says
Thanks for your quick response, Carole! I’m so excited to try this recipe! Happy Holidays 🙂
Barbara says
I found you on Pinterest too. Just made this (in Connecticut) tonight for dinner. Served it with tortillas, guacamole, rice and beans. So delicious!
This recipe is a keeper! I seared the pork first and couldn’t stop myself from adding a clove of garlic.
Thanks for sharing a wonderful recipe. I’ll be making it for years to come. It is really easy and could be doubled for a crowd. I don’t think I’m going to brown the meat again, but I may stick with he garlic!
Taylor says
Made this tonight after finding it on pinterest. Highly recommend, it turned out delicious! It takes quite a bit of time, about 2.5 hours, but well worth it. I did have to boil my meat juice for about half an hour in order to get it to the desired consistency, took longer but did end up thickening. Will be making this again, and definitely one of my new top 5 go-to recipes, soo good! I put sautéed onions and red and yellow peppers with feta on corn tortillas with the pork and it was a hit! Thanks for the recipe!!
suemac says
Another suggestion on this – make a big batch up through the reducing the liquid stage, then freeze in smaller portions with the liquid. When you want tacos for dinner, thaw a portion and then roast until crispy. Makes it an easy weeknight meal.
Toya says
Crazy ?? could you do this with chicken maybe??
Anonymous says
Somehow when I was boiling the liquid to reduce it, I managed to boil it off! It had only been boiling for 10 minutes when I took a look and saw about a half a cup of liquid. Besides keeping a closer eye on it, is there anything I can do differently to avoid this next time?
Carolyn Spraggs says
I just finished having this for dinner. I actually used pork shoulder by accident (I try to get out of Costco quickly and I wasn’t paying attention 🙂 whoops) and it worked out great as well. I almost doubled the ingredients since I had about 7 lbs of meat. It was quite delicious and although it takes awhile for it cook, it really doesn’t take much preparation time. I decorated the tree, vacuumed, watched a show with the hubs all while it was in the oven at 300. Thank you for the recipe, we will make it again 🙂
Denise Miller says
Pork shoulder and pork butt are the same cut of meat just a regional name difference from the old days.
Anonymous says
I see I’m not the only one wondering if chicken can be used, i might just try it today and see how it turns out. Kimberly
Anonymous says
So, tonight I tried a different version, to accommodate items i had on hand. I used chicken breast for the meat. I cooked the meat and other ingredients on a low crock pot. I removed chicken, and other ingredients, put broth in saucepan over med-high heat and added some pineapple juice, and 3-4 tbl spoons of good thick quality teriyaki sauce, cooked until thick and bubbly , put chicken in pan to coat, back onto baking dish, with canned pineapple, under broiler. Served over rice. Next time will add green peppers. I kept the pineapple on one side, meat another, turned so browning would occur on other sides. It was FABULOUS -Kimberly
Desarae says
Tried this, liked it. And I didn’t even have to worry about them being good enough to take my mind of the election. I’m satisfied with the results!
Katie L says
This was delish!! Husband even said they were the best tacos EVER! I also used boneless country ribs and put everything in the crock and cooked on low all day. Then drained the liquid and reduced on the stove before serving. AMAZING!! My two young kids devoured it 🙂
Erin Grant says
No fail. I was a bit nervous that the amount of liquid that the roast yielded would reduce but alas it worked out wonderfully. The recipe is a keeper. Thanks!
Joyously Domestic says
Have this cooking as I type! It looks so delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Katrina says
FYI – Pork Butt (also called Boston Butt) IS Pork Shoulder. They are the same. I can’t wait to make this!!
Anonymous says
Just finished making it, it is wonderful! It is a little time consuming, but well worth it.
JoAnn says
Made this yesterday, delicious. I did throw the lime rind in the pot…why wasted that, LOL—the smell was wonderful and the taste was authentic, thanks!!
Jennifer says
I made these last night and the flavor was wonderful! My juice reduced down to a cup but not like a syrup as described, but still very flavorful. I will definently make this again. I added garlic to my meat.
Michelle says
My husband and I love to try new recipes all the time. The minute I saw this on Pinterest, I knew it had to go on my menu plan for Christmas weekend. We made it today and I am just completely blown away. No more restaurant carnitas for us….we’ve never tasted better carnitas. We served with warm corn tortillas, chopped onion and cilantro…and lime wedges to squeeze on top. We only made 2 lbs of meat for the three of us (saved the rest for carne frita (Puerto Rican)). My husband, who is a wonderful cook, said this was top notch and I have to agree. Thank you so much!!
Christie says
I have had this pinned for quite a while and am making it for dinner tonight using beef. Thank you for posting!
Anonymous says
pork butt and pork shoulder are the same thing. Its only called butt because the used to store it in the bottom (butt) of the barrel before refrigeration.
Anonymous says
America’s Test Kitchen recipe. You can use country ribs as a substitute. These are amazing.
Anonymous says
This is very close to how I’ve been making them for years. Will now be reducing the liquid. I always use a cola with real sugar cane instead of the water though. Have heard that is traditional in Mexico.
Anonymous says
Very interesting recipe. A lovely americanization of the original Mexican recipe. Here is a simpler less greasy version of the original recipe (since Mexican carnitas are boiled in lard). 4 ingredients: pork shoulder (or picnic pork), orange juice, lime juice, Adobo Goya naranja agria seasoning. Preheat oven to 375. Remove skin from pork and trim all fat. Season meat generously with seasoning and place in a roasting pan – the meat should be packed in, no space around the meat at all. Place skin on top of meat. Cover and bake for 3 hours (depending on the amount of meat) or until the bone comes loose from the meat. Squeeze the juice of two limes and add to half a cup of orange juice. Pour juices over meat. Return to oven and cook uncovered for half an hour to an hour depending on how crispy you want it on top. It will be both juicy and soft – and not sweet at all. This is just a rough recipe, but it is simple and sells well to Mexicans who think that it was cooked according to the traditional method.
Anonymous says
And Mexicans don’t like sweetened meats unless it is mole.
Heather says
Just made this to go with our blackeye peas for New Year’s and it is wonderful! Love the flavor and I made mine in a vintage pyrex dish since I don’t have a dutch oven. Don’t know if it affects the flavor, but it is yummy!
minnia coates says
made this the other day and my husband loved it. It will go into my meal rotation.
Thanks
Manny says
Any idea on the nutrition information?
Anonymous says
Oh my gosh…these are nothing short of amazing! I followed the recipe exactly and they melted in my mouth.
I calculated the calories per serving at 208 via my fitness pal.
Evie Sterner says
I never comment on any recipes but this was really super easy and AWESOME grub. I don’t have a Dutch oven and I’m a crock pot gal so I did what came natural and put everything in the crockpot. Cooked on high for 6 hours and it was super tender. Followed remaining steps and everyone loved it. Thank you for sharing.
Anonymous says
So Gooood!!! Just made it in the last 3 hrs and it is awesome!! Going to make it a biweekly if not weekly menu item
Raquel says
This looks similar to a Pernil(Cuban/Puerto Rican)without the garlic and cumin is added. Yummy, can’t wait to try it.
Bobbi says
This sounds delicious and I’m looking forward to making it! I don’t have a jelly roll pan though…is it necessary for this dish to turn out well or can I use a different type of pan? Thanks.
Carole says
Bobbi: just be sure whatever pan you use allows the meat to be in a single layer. The caramelizing of the meat is what takes this recipe over the top. If you don’t have a big enough pan, do the broiler step in a few different batches so every piece of meat is caramelized on both sides.
Mrs. Scales says
You can do this in a crock pot. same recipe. Cut mean into 1 inch chunks. Put meat and seasonings and bay leaves in crock pot. Squeeze the orange halves in and drop the peels in with it. Cook all day until tender and falling apart. Heat oil in a skellet. fry up the carnitas chunks for until edges are to your desired crispyness. This is how i’ve done it in the past. Its delicious.. less steps and doesnt require a dutch oven. 🙂
Anonymous says
im from mexico from where is the carnitas, tacos and all that delicious food, is funny enter to pinterest an find this recipes that is so familiar to my soo my recomendation if you like the taste of this, give a try to “cochinita pibil” is making with “Axiote” and bitter orange the recipe is pretty close to tacos al pastor, someone refer about “tacos al pastor” but missing say you must use use Axiote because with out the Axiote is just a pork taco
Anonymous says
Well just a thought, this is a great recipe which i have been making for sometime though i am cuban and the recipe is a little bit different I marinate my pork shoulder or butt which a cuban marinate call “mojo” which is fairly simple juice and garlic marinate easily found online and just a thought to those who do not own a dutch oven..I would use a crockpot myself but why couldnt one use an electric skillet just have to monitor it….just a thought!!!
Cool Gal says
I just made these for dinner. Absolutely delicious! I’ve made carnitas in the past (authentic Mexican), but nothing this good. Thanks for sharing!
The Food Pusher says
Thanks for posting this recipe! I’m trying it right now, but because I started it late in the game, I’m afraid I may have to cut some corners. I will try to do it justice, though. If it tastes half as good as your photo, it will be fabulous. 🙂
Alysia Sena says
I had to tell you that these were fantastic! My boyfriend said “I’m not a fan of pork, but these are the BEST carnitas I have ever had.” Thank you so much! We will be making these again and again.
Ashley says
I saw someone posted the question about not having a dutch oven and your response was that you may need to cook it longer because the cast iron is a better heat conductor. My question to that is I have the All-Clad tri-ply stainless set.. I know it’s not cast iron but it heats very fast and cooks evenly. Would this be comparable to the dutch oven or no?
P.S. this recipe looks AMAZING!
Anonymous says
Made this tonight and it was delish!! Thanks for sharing!
KattracsVA says
FANTASTIC! Perfect for company too – they thought I went through a lot of work! Super yum!
Michele says
Great recipe! My family really loved and I am thinking of making it for my husband’s deer hunting group in December. My question is, do you have any ideas for sides?
Dede says
This was a very moist and flavorful dish. I did not have lime , but even with out it it was a huge hit with my family and one of my husbands soldiers.
Thanks for sharing.
Anonymous says
has anyone tried freezing this so it is a freezer meal already just to warm and eat?
Carole says
I am sure you could freeze the finished product. However, one of the great aspects of this meat is the crisp, caramelization on the outside of the meat. The flavor would be the same if you froze it, but you would lose something out of the texture. I say go for it!
. says
I don’t have any pork butt in my deep freeze but I do have pork chops. Would there be any harm doing this with pork chops instead? Thanks!
Carole says
You could, but your result would be different. The fat content of a shoulder/butt is what makes this so tender. You would have to change the cooking time because you would not end up with the large pieces if meat to cook in the Dutch oven. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Anonymous says
I’m a bachelor and I have no idea what a jelly roll pan is. Is there some common pan that could be used?
Carole says
Jelly roll pan is a large cookie sheet with short sides. You can use any pan but be sure it is shallow and you can keep the meat in a single layer on the pan. Broil it in more than one batch if you need to. Good luck!
Anonymous says
Omg, this was so incredibly good!
Anonymous says
This was amazing! My husband rarely raves about anything, and he was thrilled with this. My two year old loved it too!
Anonymous says
I just put this in the oven to carmalize and i tasted it before I did. Tastes super yummy!!!
Anonymous says
Omg this was unreal!!! thank you for putting this on pinterest, it was awesome!! added a couple garlic cloves…sooo good!! thx again!!
Anonymous says
I’ve been making a version of this for years – from the Cook’s Illustrated recipe – and yes, you can definitely freeze it. Just do so, after soaking the shredded meat with the reduced liquid. Then just proceed with the caramelizing in the oven, and it tastes just as good as the day you made it!
Kim W says
I found this on Pinterest, made it for supper tonight and I am in LOVE!! It is amazing! The closest to restaurant Carnitas that I’ve had. Thanks so much for posting it!!
Kim W, MI
Erika says
I found this link to you via Pinterest. Made this last night and it was delicious!!! Just had to stop by here and let you now.
danette campbell says
I made this the other day. I was short on time so I took a risk. I did everything like the recipe up to where the pork needs to be glazed. I cut the pork in pieces and put it in the frig. as well as the juice (after I strained it and reduced it). The next day. I warmed up the pork at 200 degrees on a foil lined jelly roll pan covered with heavy duty foil until warm. I warmed up the juice on the cooktop at low heat. Once I was ready I just scooped up a large spoonful of the meat and tossed it in the juice until the meat was covered and continued this until I did all the pork. I then followed the recipe as written. It turned out GREAT! I will do it this way every time as I usually have time constraints around dinner time. I served it with refried beans, guacomole, sour cream and some onions and green peppers (using veg. oil) I cooked on the stove at medium heat until soft. I also did this the day before and just warmed the veg. up on the cooktop before serving. Definitely a keeper, everyone loved it.
Andrea says
This was absolutely amazing! My husband said he didn’t want to try any other Carnitas recipe ever again… It was DELICIOUS! My almost one year old loved it too.
Alicia Brab says
I can’t wait to make this! Maybe this Sunday it will be on the dinner menu!
Anonymous says
I made these today for a snow in dinner and although I enjoyed it, I wish there was more sauce or moisture to the pork.
Carole says
I’d be interested to hear how much sauce you had. Usually, I have plenty of sauce and the meat is extremely moist. Not even close to being dry.
Annette says
I found this on Pinterst and I must say it’s Ah-mazin! I made it to day exactly the way it’s written and it’s out of this world. Can’t wait to make it again!
Carolina Cake & Confections says
Looks yummy. The picture with the sliced pork doesn’t match the second picture shown with the citrus. Have I missed a step?
Carole says
Carolina Cake: yep. I think you missed a step. You cook the pork in a Dutch oven with the citrus. Let me know if you have further questions after you re read the recipe!
Alicia Brab says
Made these for dinner tonight, they were delicious! Definately keeping this recipe!
Anonymous says
Pork shoulder and pork butt are the SAME cut of meat. Different parts of the country call them different names, but are the same.
Anonymous says
I just made this and I love it!!!
Thank you
Anonymous says
Amazing! I added a few red pepper flakes at the very beginning, just because. And I only had to bake for 1.5 hours, but they were so delicious! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Anonymous says
Fantastic and so easy! A keeper for sure. Everyone loved it, even my super picky husband!! Thanks!
kathryn says
I’ve made this meal 5 or 6 times now, since finding it on Pinterest. It’s so yummy! After making it a couple times, I’ve made a few changes: cut two cups of water down to one to minimize the time the sauce needs to reduce. Also, I’ve used lemons instead of lime, and once I even used raspberry sherbet when I didn’t have lemons! It was still amazing!
Anonymous says
Just had this for dinner 🙂 Awesome !!!! Everyone liked it 🙂 Thanks – Ellie
Sahra W says
I have a huge pork Loin in my freezer…can I use that instead of the butt?
Carole says
Sahra- you could use the loin but the results will be different. The loin has much less fat and connective tissue that will breakdown and become tender. I would wait until you get a butt/shoulder. Plus, a loin is so much more expensive so save it for a nice roast 🙂
Suzanne Harman says
I’ve made this twice in the crock pot. Works like a charm. The key is in the sauce reduction/meat broiling. Last time I added about a cup (maybe less) of green salsa (replaceing some water), as well as a couple T of brown sugar. It was amazing. Seriously AMAZING. Tomorrow I’m trying it with chicken so it will be more lean. Mmm.
Tonya says
I found this recipe recently on Pinterest. Made it last night for dinner. The smell emanating from my oven was driving me crazy all afternoon! I couldn’t wait for the meat to be done enough to sample. I was not disappointed. My husband and I made “burrito bowls” with pork carnitas and loved them. My two girls, who are both picky eaters, liked the meat. Thanks so much for posting this recipe. I’ll definitely be making it again.
NaomiK says
I tried this tonight and I had a cooking disaster! I used pork tenderloin cause that’s all I had and then I over cooked the meat so it was somewhat tough, then my sauce went from reducing to charred black scum in less time than it took to change a diaper (literally) so my meat was totally dry! I think I will try this again when I have the right meat and someone else home to change the diapers!! 🙂
Anonymous says
I’m making this for the second time tonight. The first time I made it my husband, daughter and I simply ate the meat by itself rather putting it in the tortilla’s it was that good. Tonight I hope for more control.
Melissa says
I just made this for dinner this evening and it was a hit! There is nothing left! I didn’t change a thing and it came out perfectly. I served it with warm tortillas, sautéed green peppers, the onions from the cooking process (sliced thin), sour cream, and cheese. Everyone was raving about the tenderness and flavor. Thank you for this recipe!
Anonymous says
Has anyone ever tried this with beef?
Anonymous says
Made this tonight, and it was awesome! Family loved it, even the finicky fourteen year old. Hubby raved about the carnitas throughout the meal. He’s already left the house to get more pork. LOL! Also loved your Roasted Parmesan Creamed Onions recipe too! Thanks for sharing your tasty recipes with us!
Gloria McAllister says
This is perfect for me because I don’t eat beef….and I sure miss tacos.
Thanks.
Anonymous says
I made this for dinner last night and it was great! Loved it, my whole family did! My husband said this is the best recipe I have found yet! Thanks~
P.s. I used a crock pot to cook the meat then boiled the juice in a pan and broiled! Yummo-O!!!
Shellb says
Going to make thus, but substitute beer foe the water! Yummy!! 🙂
Shellb says
*oops…spellcheck! * this. *for
Kacey Kalmar says
Thanks for sharing this recipe, it’s delish!
Margarita says
This is an authentic recipe for spanish carnitas as I have many spanish friends and have eaten pork tacos al pastor at many taquerias. It is my favorite hands down! And the method of this recipe is right on the money to achieve the authentic results. Another key to authenticity is to serve the “toppings” of fresh cilantro, sour cream, pico de gallo, chopped jalapenos, chopped onion and limes wedges. After you eat them with these dressings, OMG! You will have it on your fingers & lips, reaching for more! So good! (The squeeze of lime over the top kicks it over the edge!). Thanks for sharing.
Anonymous says
Made them 3 times already! Add a little fat of your choice, garlic and a couple jalapeños to the broth before cooking for a little extra yummy goodness!
Anonymous says
oh yeah and chicken broth for the water and a little bit of sugar mmmmmmm they are delicious!!!
Anonymous says
Just made this for the first time and it is delicious! I made it exact to the recipe but you can see that it is an easy recipe to play with. Thank yu so much for sharing
Anonymous says
I am going to try this recipe, so looking forward to it! As a single person who cooks for a non-existent army, I tend to freeze everything in portions. There were some earlier posts about people freezing the meat and possibly losing some of the texture.
My plan is to portion it out without crisping it in the broiler and then crisping it each time I pull some out of the freezer…that is if I don’t just eat it in one setting.
Will let you know how it goes.
Anonymous says
My freezer meal group made this to the point right before broiling then froze. Before eating we thawed and broiled as instructed. Turned out fantastic! Texture seemed the same as when I made it all in one day.
Daphne says
I have made this three times in about two months and it’s a huge hit at our house. I made it the other night for some friends and they loved it too! Great recipe!
bluebirdslivinginthemeadow says
great recipe, i’m on my second batch in the crock pot…we used the leftovers up in salads and mixed with coleslaw on sandwiches…delish!
MrsObresley says
I made this tonight for dinner, and this in now my go-to recipe for shredded pork. I did make some of my own alterations, based on my own flavor preferences and my past experiences making shredded pork. I put the cut up pork in a large mixing bowl, drizzled with a tiny bit of olive oil, then added the spices and citrus juices. I also added 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, and 1/2 c brown sugar. I also threw 3 cloves of garlic in the pot. Rubbed the spices all over the pork then simmered before putting in the oven. I don’t have a dutch oven, so I decided to use the ceramic liner from my crock pot and it worked great. Cooked at 300 for 2 1/2 hours. Reduced the liquid, stirred in the pork and then spread it out on a foil lined cookie sheet. It was amazing. Very similar in flavor to Cafe Rio’s shredded pork. My husband loved it and kept commenting about how good the house smelled. :)I highly recommend this recipe to everyone I know! Thank you for sharing!
Karey says
This was the best Pork I have ever had. It was fall-apart-melt-in-your-mouth tender. But I did not get a syrup like consistency in the sauce until after it had cooled. Is it supposed to be syrupy while it is reducing? or is it just after the fact that it looks like syrup? Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Beth Brown says
Amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing!! I have made this 3 times in 2 months!! So good, it’s by far my favorite meal now!!!!!!
BrittTall says
Amazing! Did not have a Dutch oven, so I put it in a large pot with a lid, and it was great!! Everyone loved it!! Thanks for sharing!
SistaBlosch says
i had some marbled pork chops in the fridge and decided to use them for the recipe. i also didnt have an orange so i used a grapefruit and threw in some garlic….using the crock pot since i dont have a dutch oven. cant wait to taste them!!
Carolina Cake & Confections says
Thanks for explaining! Going to make it this weekend!
Nine Months in Vietnam says
So many people really like this I can’t wait to try it. I did notice a few asked about using beef, but no one replied. I have tons of beef in the freezer so would also like to know if a beef cut can be used.
Nancy
Carole says
Nine Months- I’m sure you can use beef but be sure it is a very fatty and marbled piece like a pork shoulder is. Let me know your results when you do!
nursinmem says
I’m making this as I type…the house smells so good!! I can’t wait for it to finish!! Great recipe! Thanks!! Lisa
Unknown says
I had my doubts that the liquid would reduce and get syrupy, but I stirred and boiled for 20 min. and behold it worked. It was delicious and a hit with the family. Good recipe for a lazy day at home. Or, when it’s 108 degrees outside and you don’t feel like going out to grill.
Anonymous says
I found you via Pinterest and the link that I had used was removed! I had a panic attack for not having written this down. This is one of my favorite recipes and well worth the 30 minutes I just spent hunting it down on the web. Thanks so much!
James and Tabi says
Made these tonight with an added twist of my own. Added marjoram, paprika, garlic and a little brown sugar. Delicious!
Anonymous says
I made these tonight, and they were absolutely amazing! The meat melts in your mouth, and the flavors were great! My two little girls, my husband, and I all loved it!
Lynn S says
Oh my gosh this is delicious! I put all the ingredients into a crock pot and had “pulled” pork carnitas. Love love love it!
Anonymous says
I have never made carnitas, nor have I ever eaten it, so it was a surprise for us and our guests. Delicious! I will make again. Thanks for sharing!
Vicky
C L Fisher Adams says
I have had carnitas at two authentic Mexican restaurants here in town and then I made these. Let me tell you, these are astounding! The “authentic” ones paled in comparison to this recipe. This is a recipe that I will never part with. Definitely two thumbs up!
Anne H says
I made these with chicken instead of pork (bf hates red meat) and did it once with thighs, once with breasts. Both times the flavor fell a good bit flat, and with the breasts, I doubled all the spices and citrus. Any insights as to how I might boost the flavor? As a note, the reduction process took forever, and the sauce was still very watery. Sugar, maybe?
Carole says
Anne-my main suggestion for you is to stick with the pork butt instead of chicken. The flavors of this recipe are made to work with pork, not chicken or beef. Plus, the texture is completely different as well. The pork is tender and melts in your mouth. Chicken will never do that. As far as reducing, be patient and use the widest pan you have if you need to speed it up. Adding sugar will only mess with the balance of flavors that is so perfect with the pork.
Alesha says
I have carne asada meat do you think that would work instead??
toodie says
I came across this on Pinterest and thought, “hmm, I could maybe use one of my pork roasts for this.” What you don’t know is that I HATE roasts, beef and pork both. But, growing beef and pork sort of makes us have to eat it. LOL! This looks like something I could make and enjoy, and when I read all the reviews (ALL of them), I decided I would try it. On the menu for this week. Thanks so much for posting something appetizing for this roast disliker. 🙂
Bleak Views says
Trying this tonight! I wish I would have found your page sooner, I found this recipe via pinterest, and it wasn’t the original, so after putting everything in the oven, I realized there was no time written. Thankfully someone had figured it out and I found the link here.
Can’t wait! We’ll be eating late, but from the comments, at least we’ll be eating something good!
Anonymous says
Love this recipe. I make about 4 batches and freeze them. Last time I did not have time for the Dutch oven so I put it in the crockpot. Did last 2 steps in recipe. Family said it was the best one yet. Definetly my go to recipe. Thank you for sharing it with everyone.
Beth says
How many servings does this make? It looks delicious!
Carole says
Beth- it depends on how you use it. For our family of 8, we use it for tacos and we still have leftovers. It makes a big batch!
sarahbear says
Looking forward to trying this recipe for a casual dinner party for 13 friends this weekend. Having not made this before and assuming the meat cooks down quite a bit – can you make a suggestion for how much meat to start with for the correct number of servings? I am planning to do “burrito bowls” with rice, beans and other toppings. Thanks!
Carole says
Sarah- this will be a huge hit for your party! If you want the bowls to be generous with meat, I would make two batches. Otherwise, a recipe and a half will be great.
Anonymous says
I tried this tonight and waited and waited for my liquid to thicken. It never happened. The only change I made to the recipe was omitting the lime juice because I didn’t have any. I can’t imagine lime juice would make the liquid turn syrupy. After waiting over 30 minutes and rereading the ingredients, I couldn’t figure out how the liquid would thicken by itself. I’m stumped at what I did wrong. Any ideas?
Carole says
I’m not sure what the problem was and you are correct that the lime juice would not make a difference. I boil my liquid on high for about 20 minutes before it reduces down and starts to thicken. How much liquid did you have before you began to boil it down?
Anonymous says
I started with the 2 cups liquid so I was boiling whatever was left after baking approximately 3 hours. I removed the bay leaves and orange rinds before boiling. When it didn’t thicken after 35 minutes I ended up adding some Pepsi to help it thicken.
I’ve been cooking over 30 yrs and have never seen water thicken on it’s own without flour or cornstarch.
Laura says
The collagen that comes out of the meat in slow cooking causes the liquid to get syrupy when it is reduced. If refrigerated it would downright gel. Learn more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thickening_agent
Carole says
Thanks for the great info Laura!
Carole says
Maybe thicken is the wrong term to use. It reduces down, the natural sugars in the meat and citrus cause the sauce to become a more syrup like thickness so it will cling to the meat before you put it under the broiler. You should reduce the liquid to about half by the time it begins to become more syrup like.
Unknown says
Made this tonight and like others, my sauce never became a syrup like consistency…boiled for 20 minutes. No matter. It was still over-the-top delicious! From two who are very skeptical of pork, we LOVED it. Thanks for the recipe!
dawnf says
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe that is now a beloved staple of our family meal planning.
For previous readers-I’ve made this several times in the last few months and it really does take a long time for the sauce to reduce, totally worth the wait though so if yours isn’t reducing just keep at it.
LindseyO says
Just had to comment because this was SO GOOD. I also used a crockpot for the first step: for 4 lbs it cooked for about 4 hours on low and then another 2 on high (was running out of time. 🙂 ) Then I just strained the cooking liquid into a pan and followed the instructions as written from there. I was a little skeptical of the reducing part since it seemed like it wasn’t doing anything at all, but then – right around 20 mins – it got all syrupy looking. Perfect!
My plan for next time (have already picked up another chunk of meat!) is follow the instructions up through mixing the meat with the reduced cooking liquid. At that point, I’ll let it cool a bit and then put it in quart- or pint-sized freezer bags an freeze them flat. Then whenever I want carnitas, I can just defrost, broil and eat!
Again, thanks so much for posting this – so delicious!
Anonymous says
So amazing!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
Anonymous says
Just made this tonight and will DEFINITELY be making it again! I had it with chihuahua cheese, avocado, onion, cilantro, lime and grilled pineapple. I’m in love.
Starr says
Agree with all the other commenters leaving rave reviews! These are amazing. Thank you!
Anonymous says
I never leave comments on recipes–until now! These are amazingly good. I follow the recipe almost exactly (I shred the meat more than the recipe calls for) and everything turns out more than perfectly. I serve these with homemade flour tortillas, cheese, cilantro, tomatoes, sliced scallions, and generous squeeze of lime. And for reducing the liquid at the end–be patient; it’ll happen! I boil until the liquid sort of runs slowly off the spoon…sometimes takes more than 20 minutes, but it does happen.
Ant P says
This was a hit!! I used pork loin, because that’s what I had on and and that’s all my family likes, and it was still wonderful! It stayed juicy and so flavorful. This is definitely a keeper recipe.
Lindy says
I’m so glad your pork loin turned out! That’s all they had at the grocery store and I’m making this for friends tonight. 4th time…this recipe makes the best carnitas ever. Try pairing it with butter tortillas from HEB…heavenly.
Renee says
i pinned this recipe a long time ago and found it again today when looking through my pinterest for a good pork recipe. it made the entire house smell so good while it was cooking and tasted even better than the smells! definitely a keeper!
Judy Myers says
This I think is the best recipe I have made that I have found on pinterest. This was so delicious and worth the time.
Susan says
I am making this for the second time tonight. It was sooooo good. My husband and I fought over the leftovers. I can’t eat bread so I always get the leftovers. Not this time! 🙂
In case you wanted to know says
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Have made this recipe three times in the last three months!!!!! This is now one of my go toos for company! Thanks for sharing!
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Anonymous says
I found this recipe today and decided to try it as my husband always orders this when we go to the local mexican restaurant. I followed the recipe exactly though the juice never thickened even after 30 minutes. I used the juice to make a gravy mixture and dipped the meat in it before broiling. We loved it and will definitely be making again.
Anonymous says
Just mixed the reduced liquid in with the meat. I’m waiting for the broiling step for when I take it to a friend’s house tonight, but I can’t stop sneaking bites…it’s so delicious!
Thank you so much – I’ve been searching for a good recipe to make tacos like I ate when I lived in Mexico.
Anonymous says
Amazing, reminded us of the carnitas we got at a little taco stand in Cancun! I used boneless country style ribs, so easy, couldn’t keep my teenage son out of the meat once I took it out of the oven, definitely will be making this again!!!!!!
Shan says
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shan says
FYI, I made these, and then made “hot pockets” with them, using this for the dough: Easy Grain-Free Flatbread. I made some with just the meat and reduced drippings, and some I added Daiya (dairy-free) Mozzarella Shreds… Fabulous!
Kuntal Ghosh says
Its a nice blog. I love to eat your recipes. Hope in near future you will present more delicious recipes
juli says
I made this last night and the meat turned out pretty dry. Do you have any suggestions? I didn’t change anything or make substitutions.
Carole says
Juli- I’m surprised and a bit stumped. It should have a nice char and crust on the outside but the reduced cooking liquid should keep the meat quite moist while it is in the broiler. Since you are cooking your meat in a liquid, again, not quite sure what happened. The only thing I could suggest next time is maybe reducing your cooking time and temperature a little bit
Mr. + Mrs. B says
Thanks for the amazing recipe post! I have made this 3 times now and its so good. My husband LOVES Mexican food, so this is pretty much the best meal he could ask for.
I have made it every time in my pressure cooker with huge success. I didn’t see another comment with pressure cooker instructions, so here’s what I do.
I cut the water down to 1 cup, and cook on high pressure for 35 mins, and do a quick pressure release. Once the pressure cooker has released pressure you open it up and follow the rest of the recipe for broiling it with reduced liquid. Its so fast and easy!
I plan to make this for my daughters birthday party next week. I’m having 20 adults and about 10 young kids. Do you think I should quadruple the recipe for this many? so like 16 lbs?
I plan to serve it with tortillas, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, shredded cabbage, and beans.
Thanks again!
Cassy says
Mrs. B,
Thank you for your tips on pressure cooking this fabulous looking recipe. When you reduced the liquid, did you do it right in the pressure cooker itself? For example, on the sauté function? That is, if it is an electric pressure cooker.
Carole says
Thank you for the pressure cooker directions! I will have to give that a try next time. I think a quadruple batch would be perfect for that many people! Have a great time
Dianne says
So got all the way to the cooking down the liquid and so far been cooking for almost 45 minutes and not even close to getting thick and syrupy 🙁 I’ll keep boiling it but it’s taking a looong time! I started with at least 5-6 cups of juice. Does that seem right?
Carole says
Dianne- 5-6 cups seems like quite a lot of juices left. Try using less water next time. You should end up with about 1 cup of finished liquid after it is done reducing. Thanks for your question! Carole
heidi says
This is seriously the best pork taco recipe I have ever made or tried! Even better than any taco stand or fancy Mexican restaurant! My family asks for these at least 3 times a month! I make homemade quac and Pico to go with them. It’s in the oven now and I can’t wait for dinner! Thanks so much for the awesome recipe!
Carole says
Thanks so much Heidi! It is downright addicting isn’t it! – Carole
Marie says
I just finished cooking this. It is sooooo delicious! I had to adjust a few things, but still had great results. I used pork loin, and just added some olive oil. I also, emptied the pot into a crockpot for the slow cook portion, just to keep the house from getting hot. My broth didn’t really get very syrupy, but i reduced it down until it was thicker. This is a super easy, delicious recipe!
Carole says
Marie- thanks so much for coming back and sharing how the recipe turned out for you! -Carole
Beth says
Can’t wait to make this today. Question is I want to take to party tomorrow but need to make today and then warm up in crockpot. Will it be dry if I do this?
Carole says
Beth- It won’t be dry because there is enough reduced liquid to keep it moist. It is best hot from the broiler because of all that caramelization on the pork. You lose that once it gets reheated later.
Brandy says
Do you know how many servings this makes? I really want to make this, but don’t see myself eating 4 pounds of pork – lol. Can I halve it? If I do, how would you adjust any cooking times?
Thanks!!
Carole says
Brandy – it makes quite a bit of finished carnitas! You could definitely halve the recipe and reduce the cooking time in the oven by 1/3 to begin with. Keep checking the meat after that because you need it to be tender and falling apart. I’ve never made a half recipe so this is my best estimate -Carole
Brandy says
Thank you! I plan on making this over the weekend, so I will let you know how it turned out!
Jamie says
I too am curious of the serving size. I have 4 adults and 7 kids to feed. Would you double the recipe?
Carole says
Jamie- it depends what you are using the meat in. If you are serving it in smaller tortillas, I think you are fine with a single batch. If the meat serves as a main ingredient, like in a salad or served on it’s own, I would increase the recipe. – Carole
Mackenzie says
Hey Carole,
My husband and I love this carnitas recipe and are going to make it for a party tomorrow. I was reading through the recipe again and noticed at the bottom a link for a chicken chorizo bake. This looks delicious and I’d love to try it but the link takes you to the fish taco recipe. could you fix this or send me the link for the bake. Thanks so much.
Carole says
Will do Mackenzie! Thanks for letting me know. Here is the link https://www.mykitchenescapades.com/chorizo-recipe/
Liz Stone says
I have to compliment you. These came out perfectly! Will be on the menu many more times!!I!
Carole says
So glad to hear it Liz! Thanks for letting me know how they turned out for you -Carole
Cortney says
Hi Carole! I make a homemade chicken broth, how do you think that would be in place of the water? Thanks in advance! 🙂
Carole says
Cortney- I think it would be fine but worry a bit about the chicken flavor altering the richness of the pork. Let me know how it goes!
Megan says
I only have a pork roast & loin… Trying it tonight I hope it’s just as good!
Laurie says
Wisctwins. – Ok – I did something wrong – I followed the directions exactly but when I reduced the liquid it did not turn into a syrup. Any suggestions? It basically reduced down to nothing.
Carole says
It should reduce and thicken. It isn’t going to become sticky or sugary. Just thicker like a syrup. I think you were fine
Arline says
When I made this it didn’t thicken either. I just reduced it and poured it over the pork. My husband seemed to think it was because I was using a cast iron dutch oven and it was to hot just made the juices evaporate. Any suggestions?
Carole says
I use a Dutch oven as well. I just reduce it until it becomes more syrupy….about 1 to 1 1/2 C once it has reduced. You need that liquid to stick the meat, but it does take some time for it to reduce enough
Millie says
Making this for the first time! I hope it tastes as good as it looks and from what I’ve read, as long as I follow the directions, it should be easy!! 🙂
Carole says
I make this at least a couple times a month Millie. It is our favorite!
agnes says
3. While the liquid is reducing, use two forks to pull each cube of pork into three equal sized pieces. Once the liquid has become a syrup, gently fold in the pieces of pork into the pot
“Once the liquid has become a syrup, gently fold in the pieces of pork into the pot” does this mean pour the liquid onto the meat?
Carole says
Agnes – great question! I think it is easier to put the meat back in with the reduced liquid and then onto a pan to go under the broiler! -Carole
Angelica Aguilera says
Wow! I made this for dinner tonight. I also made the home made tortillas. My husband and son devoured them. Believe me. It may seem like it’s a lot of work, but it’s actually simple and sooooo worth it in the end. I asked my husband from a scale of 1 to 10 and it got a 10. Yum! Will definitely make in the future. Thanks for the recipe.
Carole says
Thank you for coming back to let me know how they turned out for you Angelica!
Shani says
Yummy!!
Made this recipe today with some balsamic roasted carrots and homemade corn tortillas and hmmm hmmm hmmm it was good. My family LOVED the Pork. Thanks!
Carole says
Thanks so much Shani for coming back and sharing your experience with the recipe! So glad you loved it -Carole
Christi Gray says
This is one of my family’s favorite meals! Tonight will be the 4th time we’ve eaten it in 2 months. Thank you for the yummy recipe!!!
Carole says
So glad to hear that Christi! It has been about two months since I’ve made it but have the pork in my fridge for this week! One of our favorites as well
ERICA U. says
OMG! Carole this recipe is GOLDEN! It’s very rare that I don’t have to change a single thing when I try a new recipe. This one is perfect as is. I loved it and so did everyone else that tasted it. Thank you SO much for sharing!
Carole says
You are very welcome Erica! Look around and see what other recipes you want to give a try next
Arline says
I made this about two weeks ago, my family has not stopped asking when will I make it again, they loved it! I’m making this today. Next time I will try the suggestions here about using a crock pot. That would make it easier for during the week. However, I set the pork up to marinate last night. I expect it to taste even better this time.
Carole says
So glad you guys loved it Arline! It is still our family favorite as well.
Jill DeRiso says
Wondering about how many servings this might be? Looks scrumpsh!
Carole says
Jill- it makes a lot! Fills my half sheet pan full of meat, so easily enough for 10 people to eat a couple tacos each
Jana says
My daughter made this when I came for dinner a few weeks ago, and it was delicious! She used a crock pot. I don’t have time for a crock pot, and I don’t have a cast iron dutch oven. What tweaks would you recommend for using a run-of-the-mill aluminum Farberware dutch oven?
Carole says
Great question Jana! You can use any large pot, but it has to be safe to go into the oven. If you have handles that are not oven safe, or a lid that is not oven safe, you will ruin your pan -Carole
Rob says
This will be interesting. I am use a lamb shoulder. Didn’t have a butt. Lots of fat. Hope it works out. Smells great BTW
Carole says
You will have to come back and tell me how it worked with lamb!
Terra says
My husband and I have traveled together for our jobs for almost 30 yrs, everywhere we land we look for the most authentic mexican food we can find along with the best local mexican grocery store. We definitely know our mexican food! Recently we have been in Nebraska in the middle of NOWHERE and there is nothing remotely worth eating here (other than steak) unless we travel to the bigger cities. THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES for posting this…. I make it every week! Super simple and has been a life saver! Who knew you could make this at home and why have I never tried??? Because I’ve never HAD to and thought it would be super difficult!! NOPE! I use almost the same recipe now for chicken to switch it up, learned how to make home made beans and rice as well. Now I make this every Sunday, and we have AHmazing lunches and dinners all week! I just toss the meat in any meal im making. This recipe equals a very happy husband! LOVE IT.. TRY IT… TODAY!!!
Carole says
Thank you so much Terra for your kind words! And I couldn’t agree more about how killer these carnitas are
Daffny says
This looks delicious! I may have to make this for a big Sunday dinner.
Carole says
It is perfect for a big Sunday dinner Daffny 🙂 – Carole
Douglas says
Hands down the best Carnitas recipe out there.
Carole says
Thanks so much Douglas
Jenn alb says
What would be good sides to serve with this dish??
Carole says
Jenn – How about a side of mexican rice and some refried or pinto beans? It really depends on how you are serving the meat. I love it over a salad with a lot of avocado and pico de gallo
Kat Connors says
These were incredible!!! Robert Rodriguez’s puerco pibil has been my go-to for carnitas for years, but this is much simpler and much quicker. I made a few minor adjustments I wanted to throw out there!
1. I used 6lbs of bone-in pork butt and adjusted liquids/seasonings accordingly. I cut as much meat off as I could off the bone, then actually just threw the bone in on top of everything else. Adds flavor and gets every scrap of meat!
2. I used chicken stock instead of water. I almost never use water where I can substitute stock. Why pass up a chance to add flavor! If you’re using the canned kind, make sure it’s low sodium broth or the kind of unsalted stock that comes in the carton. You can even get pork stock now!
3. I threw in a handful of sliced garlic… Because nothing leaves this kitchen without a ton of garlic, lol. I also added a little harissa for kick.
4. The main change was my cooking method. I am addicted to my electric pressure cooker. It is one of the best gifts I have ever gotten, because it’s like a crockpot, but fast instead of slow, lol! I brought everything to a boil, then cooked at high pressure for 45 minutes with natural pressure release. I probably could have gotten away with even 30 minutes. Because there’s virtually no evaporation in pressure cooking, it took much longer to boil down the juices, but MAN OH MAN was it worth it!
Thanks so so so much for posting this! This will be going into ourregular rotation!
Carole says
Thanks so much Kat for all your helpful tips! I love it when my readers take a recipe and make it work for them 🙂
Rebecca says
I made this for Cinco De Mayo and posted it on my blog, thanks for the great recipe. I loved the pork carnitas and the hint of orange that the meat had after cooking for 2 hours. Broiling it was great to get the crispy texture. I served with home made salsa verde and pico de gallo!
wp.me/p4zHgd-jj
Carole says
I just popped over and took a look Rebecca and they look gorgeous! Perfect for Cinco De Mayo
Rhylee S says
Was thinking of making these for my graduation open house, and wondering about how many people would this serve?
Also any ideas on what to serve with it? Im thinking all the fixings (guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, etc.,), mexican rice and served with tortillas or maybe some salad.
Thanks
Carole says
It really depends Rhylee on how you are serving it. As a taco, with small flour tortillas, this easily makes 15 tacos. If you make this, your guests will be some very lucky people 🙂
Brigitte says
I have made this several times now. It is so delicious! I make it when we have guests for dinner and it has always been a hit! Thank you for sharing!
Carole says
You have some very lucky dinner guests Brigitte 🙂
Marri says
I know this is a very old post, but as I get ready to prepare this for our Saturday’s Easy Meal, I wanted to take the time to thank you for this recipe. My neighbor’s in the States would make carnitas several times in the summer months outdoors in a copper kettle over am old oil drum. There was always a knock on the door inviting me to come and eat. And I did!
I missed carnitas so much when I moved to England. Here I am able to make most of the Mexican dishes my neighbor taught me, much to my husband’s delight. His family was posted to Mexico so they are familiar with the cuisine and enjoy it,. This one recipe eluded me; I couldn’t get Victor’s magic taste correct in my indoor carnitas.
This nails it. I love watching my husband’s face when he smells the aroma as it cooks and he realizes what’s on the menu!
Carole says
So glad you found this recipe Marri! It is out family favorite
Marty Robinson says
Hi. I know this recipe has been out there for awhile, but I just discovered it. I wanted to let you know how wonderful they are. I know everyone used dutch ovens and crockpots but I used a 6 qt electric pressure cooker. I just doubled the recipe and added only one cup of water. I cooked it for 40 minutes and let the pressure release naturally when the forty minutes were up. OMG! The meat was so tender and favorable. I couldn’t find boneless port butt or I bought a nine pound bone in. I trimmed fat and cut up as per the recipe. Just thought I would give folks another way to cook it. Thank you for a wonderful recipe. Having a family get together this weekend and I can’t wait to share this flavorful recipe. Thanks so much!
Carole says
Thanks Marty for your great tips and I am so glad you came back to share it with everyone -Carole
Jagger says
Hello, that picture is the THE most delicious looking picture I have ever seen in my entire life. Next time you make it, send some to Darwin, Australia please 🙂
Carole says
Thanks Jagger…. And I’m not sure how well it would ship 🙂
Bill Morgan says
I’m partial to the Michoan style carnitas and have to ask if anyone has tried first browning the cubed pork in lard?
Dane says
Hey! I was hoping for some good suggestions for some side dishes to go with this, any ideas?
Carole says
Hi Dane! I usually serve this with some homemade beans and a salad. Usually people like to smear some of the beans into their tortilla before loading up the pork -Carole
Christopher emde says
I made this recipe in the slow cooker and broiled the meat afterwards and it was everything i hoped it would be. I’m making some right now. Everytime i go out and eat Mexican i always order the Pork Carnitas. I’ve had it every which way and this recipe is what the best restaurants will make. Thank you very much. My next attempt is to use this recipe in a stolen Chipotle burrito recipe.
Carole says
Thanks Christopher! It is nothing short of killer for aure
Jill says
I’ve never had good luck making good mexican food but we had this tonight and it was a hit with the whole family! I was skeptical about the orange but I followed the recipe exactly as written and it was awesome! Thanks!
Carole says
Love hearing comments like this Jill!
Meaghan says
Could I cut this recipe exactly in half? I’m cooking for four and don’t mind some leftovers to freeze but I don’t need a ton.
Carole says
Absolutely Meaghan!
Shari Robinson says
Just tried this tonight and everyone liked it. It’s a change from the deep-fried kind we are use to, but still really good. I also cooked the meat in a pressure cooker for 30mins. Then followed the rest of the directions as stated. Yummy!!!
Carole says
Thanks Shari! I’ve had a few readers use their pressure cooker and I will have to try that next time as well
Heather says
Hi,
I seem to be the only one with this question, but I really need to know. How do you get the liquid to a syrup? I boiled it for twenty minutes and it’s still like water. Any help would be very appreciated. Thank you.
Heather
Carole says
Howdy Heather! Sometimes when I make this recipe, it takes a lot
Longer for the liquid to boil down and thicken. Just keep letting it boil 🙂
Angela says
I can never get it to by syrupy either and I’ve made this multiple times before. I still follow the instructions to boil it and I usually give up and put the meat back in after I use the forks for the meat. Then I put it under the broiler. I still thing it’s fantastic, but I never could do that step either!
Carole says
Thanks Angela. You just keep boiling it and boiling it. Sometimes it takes longer than the time written.
Melissa says
I made this for my husband and was simply amazing. Now I’m going to make it for a big crowd. I bought 29 lbs of pork butt. How would I convert the recipe? And would using 14 bay leaves be too strong of a taste?
Carole says
Wow Melissa! That is a lot of butt 🙂 just do the math of how much pork you have compared to the original recipe and multiply it all. I would assume you will have to do batches of it since you don’t have the equipment big enough to cook it all at once
Gayle says
I’m not sure that I’ve ever commented on a recipe but this was so incredibly good I had to post! Thank you! I didn’t change a thing. The meat was so tender!!!!
Carole says
I’m so glad Gayle! I hope you try out some other recipes as well 🙂
Jbr says
Making this tonight!
Carole says
It is super yummy 🙂
Ruth D says
We live near Tampa and are no stranger to great Cuban food. Your recipe challenges some of our Cuban friends and local restaurants. It’s super delicious and so easy to make. I doubled the spices and added some lime-cilantro hot sauce because we like a little kick to our food. I also left the onions in the pot when I boiled it down. A little squeeze of fresh lime made this just spectacular! My husband kept asking how I made the meat so tender and flavorful. I stumbled on this on Pinterest. I’m looking forward to discovering more new deliciousness on My Kitchen Escapades. Thank you so much for sharing.
Carole says
Thank you Ruth for your very kind comments. They made my day 🙂
I_Fortuna says
I pressure cook pork all the time but PC gave out so I cooked it in the slow cooker last time. I never cook carnitas with spices. We serve it slightly crisped in the oven on corn torillas with pico de gallo. We love the tast of pork and find spices mask the true delicious flavor as is the tradition in our Mexican family.
Carole says
Thanks for sharing your input!
Amanda says
Anger over the 2012 election? No anger here. Maybe these would be suitable to celebrate the next one.
Carole says
They are perfect any celebration 🙂
Jeanette Burton says
We tried this tonight for dinner. It was amazing. We reduced the liquid down like the recipe said and it turned out great. We used a crock pot and it was so easy to prepare. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Carole says
You are very welcome Jeanette!
Dinnerdiva says
I followed this recipe exactly. It took a lot of adjusting because the sauce was very bitter – I assume that’s from the orange rind. I suggest just zesting the orange and using that and the juice. It was good (after a LOT of messing with it and skimming off a lot of fat). I thought it looked really great but I don’t think it was worth the messing around. Sorry – I’d give it a 3 out of 5 stars.
Carole says
Thanks for your feedback! My only question was if you removed the orange rinds before reducing the sauce because that would definitely give you a bitter result.
Andrea says
I have been making this for at least a year now, and I felt that I was doing a disservice by not commenting. Everyone close to me knows that I LOVE this recipe. My husband and I have put it in our TOP 5. It’s AMAZING. I’ve cooked it in the oven and the crockpot and they are equally as yummy. Thank you for this blessing! My husband wants to remarry me whenever I make this, so it’s only right to cook this for our anniversary today. Thank you!!!
Carole says
Thanks so much for coming back and sharing your experience Andrea!
Tara says
This was amazing! I used beer instead of water, so good!!
Carole says
Glad you made it work for you Tara!
Amy says
Any suggestions on how to reheat the leftovers?
Carole says
Hey Amy! You can certainly use the microwave, but I like to put some in a hot non stick skillet for a few minutes.
JLM says
I made this recipe today, following the instructions exactly as given, and probably won’t make it again. While the flavor was very good, it was just too dry. I had to mak a separate sauce to put over it just to be able to eat it at all.
Carole says
Thanks for your comment JLM! I wonder how that happened because after you reduce the cooking liquid, it gets poured over the meat and it is covered in sauce. Sorry it didn’t work out for you.
Julie H says
I’m making this now in my electric pressure cooker. I follow the recipe but use stock for one cup of the liquid and cook 30 minutes on high pressure. I *may* add a little extra cumin and orange juice, too. And I also char some fresh onion with the meat under the broiler. I serve it with a cabbage slaw made with lime juice and a little mayonnaise. So, so good!!
Carole says
Howdy Julie! Thanks so much for sharing your tips and I’m glad you love it as much as I do 🙂
Elizabeth says
I’ve never worked with pork butt/shoulder. I accidentally bought it on the bone. It took me 1.5 hours to trim the fat and cut off the bone, and my pieces were far from cubes. Lol. Do you think I over thought the trimming process? I know it’s a well marbled piece of meat. Do you just trim the huge outer layer of fat? Because I trimmed most the fat off each piece. Just want to clarify before next time I work with this meat. Btw I haven’t made it yet. It took me so long I had to put the meat in the fridge until tomorrow. But I’m guessing it’ll taste amazing!
Carole says
Howdy Elizabeth! Yeah, you went overboard with the trimming. If you buy a bone-in roast next time, be sure you get one that is heavier than suggested in the recipe so you can compensate for the weight of the bone. Also, I wouldn’t trim the meat at all. That fat is what creates the texture and flavor of the meat.
carol says
Is there a good way to cut this recipe down? It’s just me and my 2 kids and i know they would love it but we can’t eat 25 tacos 🙂 any suggestions would be appreciated
Carole says
Howdy Carol! Just cut the recipe in half, or you can make the full recipe and freeze the prepared meat in smaller batches.
Daniel Griffin says
Delicious. I have made this a dozen times or so. It is always a hit. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Carole says
Thanks Daniel for coming back and letting me know!
Elizabeth says
Hello, wondering if you seared this really good before baking, could you skip the broiler part at the end??
Carole says
Hey Elizabeth! The broiling step at the end is what caramelizes the meat before serving it. If you brown the meat before putting it in the oven, all that caramelization will come off as it cooks in the liquid. If you want to skip the broiling all together, it will still be good meat. That broiling just takes it over the top
Sara B says
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but plan to soon. I am wondering if anyone has tried any other cut of pork instead of the butt?
Carole says
It just isn’t the same Sara with a different cut of pork. You need the fat and the tendons to create both the correct flavor and texture. You can use a loin but the result will be very different and quite dry.
Gigi Melchor says
Made this for my family last week and it was the bomb!!! Everyone loved it. I had to double the recipe and it was on point. Got the biggest compliment from my son in law who is Mexican and he said no one has ever made Carnitas always the usual same old bbq, he told my daughter to get the recipe so she can recreate. My husband also was very impressed and keeps asking me when am I going to make it again. He wants for it to be a weekly staple in our home.
THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH FOR SHARING!!!!
Carole says
I’m so glad it was such a huge hit for you Gigi! It is still our all time favorite meat
Kellie says
I’ve been using this recipe for at least 4 years now, and it always comes out perfect. I’ve got a batch crisping in the oven right now and between me, my husband, and my dog, the smell is about to drive us crazy! Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe, it’s consistently one of the tastiest dishes I make!
Carole says
I love comments like this Kellie! Thanks so much for coming back and sharing your experience with the recipe 🙂
Melissa says
I made this a few times and it is truly delicious! However, I am frustrated that I cannot get the liquid to reduce into this ‘syrup’ .. So I always pour the liquid on top of the meat…..wish I could get the right consistency…any suggestions?
Carole says
Hey Melissa! I’m glad you love the recipe. We might have different definitions of the word syrup 🙂 I reduce the liquid until it is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. And every time I make it, that takes a different amount of time depending on how much liquid ends up in my pan. Try boiling it longer but don’t let it burn!
Kymberly says
I’m making your recipe, AGAIN…. possibly my favorite large pot, crowd feeding meal. Thanks!
Carole says
I love hearing comments like this Kymberly! Thanks for coming back and making me smile 🙂
Angela says
I wasn’t angry about the election results in 2012. Now last year…
I will be trying the recipe, though.
Carole says
Angela…. 🙂
ANGELA MILLER says
Cooking and baking should be enjoyable and void of political stress of all kinds.
Debbie Gerrity says
Hello, I have made this recipe many times and is a family favorite, I was wondering if you or anyone tried this with chicken?
Carole says
Hi Debbie! I have never made it with chicken but I worry about trying to use the same cooking process with such a lean meat. The pork shoulder has a lot of fat and sinew that lends itself beautifully to this braising method. If you decide to try it, I would use boneless, skinless thighs.
Debbie Gerrity says
That is what I was thinking, going to try this weekend, will keep you posted
Debbie Gerrity says
Hello,
I wanted to let you know that I did follow the recipe, but used boneless chicken thighs. Turned out great. So if anyone else asks. Thank you for a great recipe
Shae says
This is our favorite carnitas recipe!! I totally forgot to add 2 cups of water and just added 2 tbs of olive oil. The orange adds so much great flavor. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Carole says
I’m so glad you love it as much as I do Shae!!
Patty says
I made this for dinner yesterday and it was awesome! I did use my slow cooker and it was very tender and just fell apart nicely. Served it with black beans and rice and was a hit”. Thank you!
Carole says
I’m so glad you loved it as much as I do Patty! Thank you for coming back to let me know.
john says
Followed the recipe to a “T”…….Not very impressive as it lacked full body flavor, however it was very tender. I made it a second time and tripled the cumin, bay leaf and pepper, and doubled the salt. I also added a large pablano pepper to the slow cooker to give it just a little bite. Finished under a broiler as the original instruction call for and this came out much much better. In my taco soft taco shells I topped everything off with chopped red onions, Cotija Cheese and a mildly lime enfussed sour cream
Carole says
Thanks for sharing your experience and your adaptations John!
Amanda says
All I can say is WOW! Please everyone do yourself a favor and make this in your Dutch Oven and NOT your crockpot. I have been making Carnitas in my crockpot for years, and have always had the impression that they were good, but not impressive. I found this recipe and followed in EXACTLY. My whole dinner party was RAVING!!! We made a topping bar with cilantro, limes, cheese, avocado, grilled onions, and sriracha sour cream and little street taco tortillas, it was the BEST! Crispy, so full of flavor and depth. This is hands down the BEST! Im So happy I went with using my Dutch Oven over the slow cooker, I think it made all the difference!!
Carole says
Thank you Amanda for coming back and letting everyone know how this turned out for you and I couldn’t agree more 🙂
lisa says
Hi!
Could you use country boneless spare ribs with this?
Carole says
Hey lisa! I have never used that cut of meat before so I really don’t know. What works so well with the butt is all the fat and ligaments that tenderize so beautifully when it is slow cooked.
Handful says
“If you want authentic carnitas, embrace the butt.” Epic!
Carole says
Thanks 🙂 I think I’m pretty funny but my kids tend to disagree.
Brittany says
The other day, my husband and I, bought tacos from an authentic taco truck in town. Afterwards, I was determined to make homemade ones. Tonight I used this recipe for our tacos and it was a hit! My husband said it was better than the taco truck 🙂 I did mine in the slow cooker and did the 1 1/2 cups of water as suggested above. Turned out perfect!
Carole says
I love hearing comments like this Brittany! So glad you loved them as much as we do 🙂
lucia says
It’s my family’s favorite! Love the photos and your blog is very inspiring. Thank you!
Carole says
I’m so glad you love this recipe as much as we do Lucia!
Julie says
I pinned this recipe at least 2 years ago. It is, by far, the best recipe I have come across. I share this recipe with everyone. I have 7 kids and they all LOVE it. I always cook it in my Dutch oven. I am actually making it today. I serve it with corn tortillas, avocado, sour cream, cheese, and black beans. I double the recipe and what we have leftover, we use the next night and make quesadillas with shredded pepper jack. This is a budget friendly recipe too as I make 2 meals out of it. And you are right about how you will never look at taco fillings the same way. We never have any other type of meat in tacos as there is no comparison to this one. I have had authentic carnitas and this recipe is better than any I’ve had! Thank you for such a perfect recipe!
Carole says
Awesome comment Julie! I’m so glad it is a hit for both you and your kiddos. That isn’t always easy to do 🙂
Stacey says
My family loves this recipe!! Today I searched for it and I get an error saying it no longer is there. Anyway I could get it again, so I could save it?
Carole says
Thanks Stacey for your note! Having some tech issues this afternoon and will have it up and running again soon!
jorge says
Hi, Interesting recipe, seems like you almost hit the nail with the recipe. However, you state “If you want to go fully authentic, you have to go for the Soft Homemade Flour Tortillas recipe as well. ” and I hate to contradict that statement because you refer to the dish as “mexican carnitas” but here in Mexico we don’t eat flour tortillas (that’s more a Tex-Mex thing and not authentic) for it to be “authentic” you need to have real corn tortillas… I just wanted to clarify the point.
Carole says
Ha Jorge! Very, very true 🙂 Thank you for correcting the authenticity of the authentic comment.
Stacy says
Thank you so much for this recipe! It is so delicious! I am wondering how to convert this to an instant pot recipe? I tried it as is and although perfectly moist and still delicious, there was not much flavor in the meat itself. The broth it made was dreamy and plentiful. I took about a fourth of it and boiled it down and it did make a sauce, just not as rich as making it in a dutch oven or crock pot. Have you mastered this? I cooked on high pressure for 45 minutes (6 lbs of meat) and naturally released (after 35 minutes it hadn’t released, so I did it manually). Thanks for your recipe, it’s a winner!
Carole says
Hi there Stacy! I know this is shocking, but I don’t own an Instant Pot. My daughter keeps trying to convince me to get one, but I just haven’t made the jump yet.
Kit Castaldo says
Made this receipt tonight and it was fabulous!! My kids loved it too!! We will definitely be making this again!!
Carole says
I’m so glad you loved it Kit!
Susana says
Hi, I am mexican and even when this recipe is so good, sad to say this are not the authentic mexican carnitas :(.. but us a good recipe. The mexican carnitas are made in another way. But again, this is a good recipe with pork that I can try. 🙂
Carole says
Well, I’m glad you still liked them Susana!
Rrmj says
Authentic carnitas are slow cooked in lard. And they are absolutely fabulous! Always in corn tortillas with a little lime, cilantro and onion.
Carole says
Interesting….not sure I’m going to try that out 🙂
Angela says
I have to say, you are all missing out if you don’t replace the water with a beer! Adds a depth of flavor to an already fantastic recipe. I’ve been making this recipe for years now and it’s probaby the best thing I make it’s in our family cookbook and will be passed down for generations. Credit to you, of course! Thank you for adding this little bit of brightness to our family dinners!
Carole says
Thank you for your input Angela! I will share it with my readers.
Scott says
I just made this recipe in a cast iron dutch oven. After removing everything and boiling the juice,all the juice boiled out in 7 minutes. Wasn’t watching because figured it would be the 20-30 minutes. Probably would of been good with the syrupy juice poured on it but was dry without
Carole says
Wow! Thanks for that feedback Scott. It is a good reminder to keep an eye on that liquid as it reduces.
Diana says
Fantastic!! My family loves this recipe..we add Spanish rice and queso to our soft flour tortillas and pile in the meat..yummy! I noticed a couple of political comments in here..this is a recipe, not a political debate. Let’s keep our political views to ourselves and focus on the recipe here people!
Carole says
I’m glad you loved the recipe Diana!
The Toy Box says
I made these yesterday for the first time and was really happy with how they turned out. Tender, flavorful and moist. The biggest downside to this was the time factor. Prep time and finishing time alone were about an hour and a half – Not to mention the seven hour cook time. Good food is certainly worth the wait. It’s just not the smartest thing to do on a Tuesday if you have to work not only that day, but the following.
I too dropped the water down to one cup, but used the juice of a large orange and two limes.
Will definitely be adding this recipe to my book. Thanks for sharing. So many people on the internet have a recipe online – However, it’s rare to find one that’s actually good.
Carole says
Glad you loved the recipe! You must have made it in a crock pot if it took 7 hours of cook time 🙂
Brittany says
Hello Carole or anyone who has made this before, we are going on holiday this weekend to celebrate my father-in-law’s 75th bday and we are responsible for making dinner the first night. How maybe people does the above recipe yield? I noticed it doesn’t have a serving size (maybe I overlooked it).
Please let me know how many servings the recipe can serve. We will be cooking for a total of 6 adults (I think the recipe will be enough).
TIA for any comments!
Carole says
Hello Brittany! Yes, this will be plenty of pork for 6 adults. Enjoy and happy birthday to your father in law!
Amanda says
I made my carnitas yesterday and they were amazing! I was looking for a recipe that used an oven braising method (I’m not a slow cooker fan and I am not on team IP either). When I saw this recipe was adapted from a Cooks Illustrated recipe, I knew I had found my recipe (HUGE CI fan here)! These turned out amazing! I love the process of reducing the cooking liquid and tossing the meat in it, so any recipes had you just throw away this deliciousness rather than maximize its magic! It took me longer to reduce (I likely yielded more liquid) and had to toss and broil about 4x (maybe a smallish jellyroll pan), but they came out perfect! Even my picky kids ate them! Thanks for an amazing recipe, Carole!
Teri Shaw says
I made this today and it is delicious. I followed the recipe using a crock pot. We thought it was great! Thank you!
Carole says
You are very welcome Teri!
Bretta says
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! It is a staple on our menu now! My son got married this summer and I made 10+ pounds (finished) of carnitas for the rehearsal dinner. I make it in the crockpot with less water than the recipe specifies. Always a hit! <3
Carole says
So glad it worked for the big day!
Bobbi says
Hi Carole. This recipe sounds amazing and I’m looking forward to trying it. One question: if I wanted to make it in advance and freeze it, should I follow the recipe all the way to the end, and then freeze it, or leave the broiling part til I’m ready to serve it? Do you even advise freezing it at all? (Ok. Two questions. )
Carole says
yes, you can freeze this but I would do everything up until the broiling. Save that for right before you serve it.
Philip Stock says
I haven’t read all the post as there is so many, so if I am repeating please forgive me. Could I smoke the pork but In an open cast pot and then continue as described?
Carole says
I’ve never tried that Philip. I worry about the amount of liquid you would lose and if the meat would dry out since it is cooked by braising. If you try it, I would love to hear how it turns out!
Donita says
This recipe is AWESOME! We make these all the time. I’ve only ever done tHem in tHe Crock-Pot and they so so delish!
Carole says
Thanks Donita!
Carolyn says
This is a huge family favorite for us. You introduced me to the wonders of the Dutch oven! I’ve come to adore recipes like this where you can just prep for a moment and then let the oven do it’s thing and Presto! You have a beautiful delicious melt-in-your-mouth meal.
I just had to write to thank you for a delicious way to prep an inexpensive cut of meat. I have to make it by request for friends frequently.
Carole says
You are so welcome Carolyn!
Juli says
I just made this recipe! This recipe is amazing and the carnitas are flavorful and tender. Just what I was looking for in a carnitas recipe. Thanks for posting it!
Carole says
I’m so glad you loved it as much as we do Juli!
Melissa Sakata says
This was an amazing carnitas recipe. I put all the ingredients in my crockpot and went to work. I came hime and followed the rest of the instructions, and BAM! We ate it with rice, beans, fresh homemade flour totillas in addition to corn tortillas with fresh hot salsa. It was an instant hit. How do I know? My 14 year old son ate 3 burritos and 2 tacos after waterpolo practice! Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
Carole says
I’m so glad you loved it Melissa!
Nostress says
Amazing recipe.
Here in the Netherlands I used ( ofcourse ) a Dutch oven and I made it in the oven.
Everybody loved it and it is now one of my son’s favorite’s.
Thank you so much for this very tastefull recipe and the way you wrote down the steps.
You made it easy for me to follow, so everybody had a very lovely dinner and there were no leftovers.
We ate it with corntortilla’s coleslaw, salsa and guacamole.
Greetings from Holland
Carole says
I’m so glad that this was just as successful in Holland as it is here in Minnesota! Thanks for coming back and sharing your experience.
Sandy Bitely says
This is absolutely WONDERFUL. I did just as the recipe instructed, but I cooked the pork in the crock pot. If you haven’t tried this recipe, you are missing out, Adding this to my favorite recipes.
Carole says
Thank you Sandy for coming back and letting everyone know!
Nealla StClair says
Made this in the crock pot using chicken broth instead of water and it was really good, but we all agreed there was something missing. Talked to my daughter who lives on the border, and she said she couldn’t imagine cooking it without garlic. Going to try that next time. By the way, I had a huge butt roast and cooked it overnight. Shredded and boiled down the juice and refrigerated it. Just had to broil it before dinner. Made an easy dinner that night when the kids came over! Going to try it in a Dutch oven next time.
Carole says
thanks Nealla for you input!
Kim Shephard says
This was my first time making this and it is truly delicious! I made it as the recipe is written except I only had a very small orange so I added actual orange juice and also used chicken broth for part of the liquid . I probably should have trimmed off even more fat from the inside of the pork than I did (which took forever) because when I simmered down the liquid at the end there was a lot of grease to skim off. Next time I won’t boil it down so much as mine was not syrupy enough, it was pasty : ( The taste however was great and everyone loved it. It was so moist even after broiling. It’s definately a keeper! I look forward to making it again to get it just right.
Carole says
Awesome Kim! I’m glad it is a keeper 🙂
Tressa says
I love love love this! Made it a few times in my Crock-Pot but it was usually a little overcooked because my Crock-Pot was terrible. I tried it in my instant pot and cooked it 45 minutes and it was unbelievable. Shredded beautifully and the flavors stuck out even more. I throw my lime in there with the whole orange and onion too. So scrummy.
Carole says
Thank you Tressa for your comment!
Rita says
You guys! This is the best carnitas recipe EVER!! My search is over.
Carole says
Thank you Rita! I can only agree 🙂
Me says
A good recipe but not the traditional one. However, if you do not want a greasy thing is perfect. I will take out cumin (I do not know why everyone in the US think that cumin is a traditional ingredient in Mexican gastronomy. It is not). As a suggestion, carnitas are never eaten with flour tortillas but with corn tortillas, that is the traditional style. With lemon juice and a fresh homemade salsa.
Carole says
Thanks for your feedback Mariana! I too love them with corn tortillas and homemade salsa, but with a squeeze of lime instead of lemon 🙂
Em says
Hello!
Just wanted to say thank you for the recipe! I’m an avid Pinterest pinner, but only make about 1% of the things I’ve pinned! I have to say I’ve made this 3 times now! I absolutely love it and will continue to make it over and over again! Hands down my most successful Pin! You are a rockstar! Thanks for making me feel like a rockstar when I make Carnitas!!!
Carole says
So happy to hear it Emily! Thank you for coming back and sharing your review
Deb says
I’ve made this so many times. It’s a family favorite and is part of my “rotation”. Perfect!
Carole says
Thanks for sharing Deb!
Mark Povlock says
I’ve made this countless times!!! Absolutely fantastic!!
Carole says
Thanks Mark for coming back and sharing your review!
Michelle says
Great for Keto diet. Will make again. Very flavorful. The fatty pieces are the best 5*****
Misti says
I’m about to make this but only have a 3lb pork sirloin roast with plenty of fat. Should I keep everything the same and just reduce cooking time I’m the crock pot? Or should I go the Dutch oven route? Thank you
Carole says
Hi Misti! I highly recommend waiting until you have a pork shoulder / butt for this recipe. While the fat is part of the needed ingredient, you also need the sinew of the shoulder.
Peyton says
Came for the carnitas, stayed for the comments. (yang2024 my dudes)
This recipe was awesome! Everyone loved it so much the first time (two weeks ago) that we’re making it again tonight. I used our crock pot and had it cooking and smelling up the house alllll day and it was wonderful.