Best 5 Best Carnitas Recipes

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Carnitas is a traditional Mexican dish made with tender, slow-cooked pork, a staple of many beloved Mexican dishes. It is typically made with pork shoulder, but other cuts like pork loin or butt can also be used. The meat is seasoned with a variety of Mexican spices, then braised in its own juices until fall-off-the-bone tender. This versatile dish can be enjoyed in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or simply served with rice and beans. In this article, we present three delectable carnitas recipes that cater to different tastes and preferences.

The first recipe, ClassicCarnitas, stays true to the traditional Mexican flavors. The pork shoulder is rubbed with a flavorful blend of spices like cumin, oregano, and chili powder, then braised in a mixture of orange juice, beer, and chicken broth. The result is succulent, juicy pork that can be shredded and served with your favorite toppings.

The second recipe, Crispy Carnitas, takes a slightly different approach by adding a crispy, golden-brown crust to the tender pork. After braising, the pork is shredded and pan-fried until crispy on the edges. This method adds a delightful textural contrast to the tender meat and makes it perfect for tacos or nachos.

Finally, the third recipe, Slow Cooker Carnitas, offers a convenient and hands-off approach to making carnitas. The pork shoulder is seasoned and cooked entirely in a slow cooker, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or when you want to prepare a large batch of carnitas for a party or gathering.

No matter which recipe you choose, you'll end up with a delicious and authentic carnitas dish that will surely impress your family and friends. So, gather your ingredients and let's embark on a culinary journey to savor the delightful flavors of carnitas!

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

THE BEST EVER SLOW COOKER CARNITAS



The BEST EVER Slow Cooker Carnitas image

What makes these carnitas different? They are crisped and browned on the stove after low and slow cooking in the crock pot. These are incredibly easy to make and have replaced traditional taco filling at our house. These carnitas or "little meats" are great in Tacos, Burritos, Enchiladas, Tamales or Nachos. When served with corn tortillas, they are also gluten free!

Provided by sellingsavannah

Categories     Mexican

Time 7h40m

Yield 8-10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 lbs boneless pork shoulder or 4 lbs boston butt
1 large onion, cut into large pieces
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups water
2 tablespoons canola oil or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Steps:

  • Mix cumin, garlic powder, oregano, coriander, kosher salt and ground black pepper together in a small bowl to make a dry rub. Pat the pork shoulder roast or boston butt dry with paper towels, and then cover roast with dry rub.
  • Place the pieces of onion and the bay leaf in the bottom of your slower cooker, lay the roast on top. Carefully pour the chicken stock or the water around the roast, taking care not to wash away the dry rub. Cook on low for 6 hours or until the pork easily falls apart.
  • Once the pork is easily falling apart, remove from slow cooker to cool. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Remove and discard the excess fat, shred the remaining pork.
  • Place the reserved cooking liquid in a large non-stick skillet with shredded pork. Cook over medium high heat until the liquid is absorbed, tossing the pork occasional to coat.
  • Once the cooking liquid is absorbed, add the oil and crisp up the carnitas to your desired doneness. We like our extra crispy, usually about 14-18 minutes.
  • Serve with your favorite taco fixings, like corn or flour tortillas, cilantro, lime, shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, sour cream and cheese.

BEST PORK CARNITAS EVER



Best Pork Carnitas Ever image

This is a very simple recipe for the best tasting pork carnies meat I have ever had. I usually plan to make extra and use the left overs in anything from taco salads to bbq pork sandwiches.

Provided by tamshock

Categories     Pork

Time 2h40m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 pork roast, I prefer the tenderloin, cut into large chunks
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
water

Steps:

  • Cut up your pork roast into 1 to 2 inch chunks (Don't trim the fat it will render in final part of cooking) and put it in a large pot. Add the cup of orange juice and your seasonings. Add enough water to just cover the meat (it's ok if it's not completely covered). Bring it to a simmer and let it simmer uncovered for 2 hours. I know you'll be tempted but DO NOT stir or touch the meat during these 2 hours. You should have enough water/juice in the pot that by the end of the 2 hours you will be down to about an inch or less of liquid. When you get to this point turn the heat up to medium high and chop and stir it around until the liquid evaporates and your pork is a mixture of something between chunks and shredded. I like to let it brown up a bit even. That's it, you're done! The best pork ever and the flavor is simple enough that you can do pretty much anything with the meat.

BEST EVER SLOW COOKER CARNITAS



Best Ever Slow Cooker Carnitas image

A mouth-watering Mexican carnitas recipe with a special sweet addition, slow cooked for hours in a crock-pot and served with warm tortillas. After numerous attempts at perfecting the art of carnitas from scratch, this is my best recipe yet. A taste of Mexico in your very own kitchen!

Provided by SocialWorkChef

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 6h15m

Yield 8 meat-filled tortillas, 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

2 lbs pork loin (Boston butt and shoulder work great. Leaner meats seem to dry out.)
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cinnamon stick
5 -6 garlic cloves, peeled with the tips chopped off
3 -4 bay leaves, broken
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1/3 cup whole milk
1 (20 ounce) bottle Coca-Cola Classic

Steps:

  • Cut the 2 lbs of pork into roughly 2 inch squares and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • Pour the stick of melted butter in the slow cooker coating the meat. Do the same with the 2 Tbs of oil.
  • Break the one cinnamon stick in half and place to the sides of the meat.
  • Peel 5-6 garlic cloves, cutting the tips off, and break 3-4 bay leaves in half. Place the leaves and the garlic in the slow cooker, evenly distributed among the meat.
  • Add the 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp cumin, and 1 tsp (or more depending on taste) red pepper flakes, sprinkling evenly across the meat.
  • Pour the 1/3 cup whole milk in the cooker, being careful not to wash away the spices from the meat.
  • Add the Coca Cola, being careful not to wash away the spices from the meat. Add enough to just cover the top of the meat.
  • Turn the slow cooker to the "Low" heat setting. Cook for 6 hours, stirring every few hours.
  • Once cooked, remove meat from the slow cooker with a slotted spoon and place in a separate large bowl. Shred the meat using two forks, and add spoonfuls of liquid from the cooker to ensure meat is moist.
  • Serve on warm tortillas, with pico de gallo, sour cream, and chopped jalapenos.

THE BEST SLOW COOKER CARNITAS, GREAT FOR TACOS!



The BEST Slow Cooker Carnitas, Great for Tacos! image

These carnitas cook low and slow in the Slow Cooker or Crockpot and finish on the stove for a crispy and delicious filling for tacos, burritos or nachos. This is the new taco filling for Taco Tuesday at our house. My whole crew prefers this to traditional taco filling made with ground beef or ground turkey.

Provided by sellingsavannah

Categories     Mexican

Time 6h30m

Yield 10-12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 bay leaves
1 large onion, sliced into large peices
2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups water
1 (4 -6 lb) boneless pork shoulder or 1 (4 -6 lb) boston butt
2 tablespoons canola oil or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Steps:

  • Mix the kosher salt, garlic powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, dried oregano and black pepper together in a small bowl. Coat the pork shoulder roast with the dry rub.
  • Place the sliced onion and bay leaves in the bottom of your slow cooker, lay pork shoulder roast on top. Carefully pour water or chicken broth around the roast, making sure you don't disturb the dry rub.
  • Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 6 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 3 hours.
  • When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, remove and discard excess fat and shred with two forks. Reserve cooking liquid.
  • Place shredded pork into a large skillet with 1 cup of reserved cooking liquid over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. Once liquid has cooked down completely, add canola or vegetable oil. Stir occasionally for 15-20 minutes or until the meat has reached desired crispiness.
  • Serve in warm flour or corn tortillas with your favorite taco toppings. We serve ours cilantro, pickled red onions, salsa or pico de gallo, guacamole, sliced cabbage and lime wedges,.

BEST CARNITAS



BEST CARNITAS image

Categories     Pork

Yield 4 people

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium sized yellow onion
1.5 lbs pork shoulder
¼ cup brown sugar
3 cloves minced garlic
1 can beef broth + 2 cans water
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 cinnamon stick
½ orange, cut in half (with rind on)
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chili powder
To Serve: warm corn tortillas, chopped tomato, sour cream or cheese, lime slices

Steps:

  • 1. Cut the onion into eighths, and sauté in olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven. 2. In the meantime, cut the pork into bite sized pieces, leaving the fat on. Add to the skillet, sprinkle the brown sugar over the pork, and sauté over medium heat until just beginning to brown. 3. Add minced garlic, continue to sauté for about three minutes. 4. When browned, add the can of beef broth, water, cilantro, cinnamon stick, orange, cayenne pepper, chili powder. Bring to boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. 5. Remove cinnamon stick, and continue simmering for about an hour to an hour and a half. 6. Preheat oven to 350°. 7. Remove orange, and add the skillet to the oven. 8. Heat for about 25 minutes, or until the pork is beginning to brown. 9. Serve with corn tortillas, tomato, sour cream, and lime.

Tips:

  • Choose the right cut of pork: Pork shoulder or butt is the best cut for carnitas because it has a good amount of fat, which helps to keep the meat moist and flavorful during the cooking process.
  • Use a Dutch oven or slow cooker: These cooking methods allow the pork to cook slowly and evenly, resulting in tender and juicy carnitas.
  • Add plenty of spices and seasonings: Carnitas is traditionally seasoned with a blend of Mexican spices, such as cumin, chili powder, oregano, and garlic. You can also add other spices and herbs to taste, such as paprika, chipotle chili powder, or cilantro.
  • Don't overcrowd the pot: When cooking the pork, make sure to leave enough space in the pot so that the meat can cook evenly. If the pot is too crowded, the meat will steam instead of brown.
  • Cook the pork until it is fall-apart tender: The pork should be cooked until it is very tender and can be easily shredded with a fork. This usually takes at least 2 hours, but may take longer depending on the size and thickness of the pork.
  • Shred the pork before serving: Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the pot and shred it with a fork or two forks. You can then serve the carnitas immediately, or store it in the refrigerator for later use.

Conclusion:

Carnitas is a delicious and versatile Mexican dish that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. It can be served on its own, as a taco filling, or as an ingredient in burritos, quesadillas, and other Mexican dishes. With its rich flavor and tender texture, carnitas is sure to be a hit with family and friends. So next time you're looking for a flavorful and easy-to-make Mexican dish, give carnitas a try!

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