Carnitas Recipe
An easy and authentic Carnitas Recipe for making the best Mexican Tacos de Carnitas! Featuring slow-cooked, tender bites of pork broiled to crispy perfection!
Servings: 8
Calories: 425kcal
Ingredients
- 3-4 pound boneless pork butt
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup orange juice (freshly squeezed), about 3-4 oranges
- ¼ cup lime juice (freshly squeezed), about 3-4 limes
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup water + 2 tablespoons, separated
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Flour or corn tortillas (1-2 per person)
- Topping Suggestions: red onion, cilantro, Cotija cheese, freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Pat the pork butt dry with a paper towel. Use a large, sharp knife to trim away excess fat. Cut the pork butt into 1" thick slices. Then, cut each slice into 1" cubes.
- Transfer the pork to a 4-5 quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven. Add all of the dry spices, and massage them onto the pork with your hands.
- Add the orange juice, lime juice, and a ½ cup water to the Dutch oven and stir to combine. Add the bay leaves, cover, and transfer to the oven.
- Cook for 2 hours. Remove from the oven, and turn on the broiler on high. Have ready a rimmed sheet pan lined with nonstick aluminum foil.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to the prepared sheet pan. Using the tines of a fork, gently press down on the pork to ever-so-slightly break it apart.
- Place the pork under the broiler, and watch closely so that it does not burn. As soon as the pork begins to tinge with dark brown hues and crisps up on the edges, remove it from the oven. Depending on your broiler, this could take anywhere from 1- 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Place the Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high heat and allow to come to a simmer. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the cooking liquid and allow to simmer until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Either add the pork back to the Dutch oven and stir or brush the sauce lightly over the carnitas. Serve with tortillas and your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 1413mg | Potassium: 755mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 451IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 5mg