Carnitas, a traditional Mexican dish, is a delectable pork dish that has captured the hearts of food enthusiasts worldwide. This succulent delicacy is characterized by tender, slow-cooked pork that falls apart effortlessly, offering a delightful combination of flavors and textures. Prepared using various cooking methods, carnitas can be made in a slow cooker, oven, or on the stovetop, making it a versatile dish for home cooks.
This article presents a collection of expertly curated carnitas recipes, each offering a unique twist on this classic dish. From the traditional Michoacán-style carnitas to modern interpretations with a fusion of flavors, these recipes cater to diverse culinary preferences. Whether you prefer crispy carnitas with a golden-brown crust or tender, melt-in-your-mouth carnitas, this article has something for everyone.
The recipes included in this article cover a wide range of cooking techniques, ensuring that you find the perfect recipe to suit your kitchen setup and skill level. Discover the secrets of creating authentic carnitas in your slow cooker, where the meat simmers gently in a flavorful broth, resulting in fall-off-the-bone tenderness. Learn how to achieve crispy carnitas in the oven, where the pork is roasted until it develops a tantalizing crust. For those seeking a quick and easy option, the stovetop carnitas recipe offers a streamlined approach to this beloved dish.
With detailed instructions, helpful tips, and mouthwatering images, this article guides you through the process of making carnitas from scratch. Whether you're a seasoned cook or just starting your culinary journey, these recipes are designed to empower you to create restaurant-quality carnitas in the comfort of your own home. So, grab your apron, gather your ingredients, and embark on a flavorful adventure as you explore the world of carnitas.
THE BEST CARNITAS TACOS (PULLED PORK TACOS!)
Carnitas Tacos (pulled pork tacos) are THE BEST ever! The slow cooker Mexican pork is unbelievably tender and flavorful. Add a scoop of guacamole to a tortilla (or lettuce wrap!), top with a big pile of pulled pork and dig in!
Provided by Kristen Stevens | The Endless Meal
Categories Dinner
Time 8h10m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Start by making the Mexican Pork Carnitas. This will take you about 8 hours to make in your slow cooker or in a pot.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mash the avocados with the lime juice, garlic, and salt.
- Put a scoop of carnitas in a tortilla, add a spoonful of the mashed avocados (guacamole), top with a sprinkle of minced red onions and any or all of the optional toppings.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 2 tacos (⅙ of the recipe), Calories 589 kcal, Carbohydrate 44 g, Protein 42 g, Fat 27 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, TransFat 1 g, Cholesterol 113 mg, Sodium 1323 mg, Fiber 6 g, Sugar 8 g, UnsaturatedFat 19 g
SLOW-COOKER PORK CARNITAS
This easy and delicious slow-cooker recipe will impress any taco lover. While it's an extra step, crisping up the shredded meat in a skillet before serving adds extra flavor and creates the crunchy bits that are typical of carnitas. And don't skip the pickled red onions! They complement the richness of the pork.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 5h15m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 27
Steps:
- Add the chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, cloves, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt to a large slow cooker and whisk to combine. Add the onion, garlic and bay leaves and stir to combine. Add the pork and toss to coat. Cover and cook on high until the meat is tender, about 5 hours.
- Transfer the pork to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves, onion, and garlic. Shred the pork into bite-size pieces with 2 forks, leaving some larger chunks, and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the lard in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the shredded pork and press down into an even layer with a spatula. Cook, pressing occasionally with a spatula, until crisped and browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons lard and shredded pork.
- Serve with tortillas, cilantro, jalapenos and pickled red onions.
- Put the sliced onions in a medium heatproof, nonreactive bowl. Put the vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, bay leaves, sugar, coriander and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a small saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture over the red onions and set aside until cooled to room temperature. Serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.
BEST PORK CARNITAS EVER
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
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.
PORK CARNITAS
Many find carnitas a little dry or flavorless. These have a great, distinctive flavor and are requested by friends and family over and over. Serve with warm, fresh tortillas and salsa.
Provided by Nette
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 3h45m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the pork shoulder with salt, then arrange the pork in the Dutch oven. Cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Pour in the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue to simmer until pork is very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Transfer the pork shoulder to a large baking sheet, reserving the cooking liquid. Drizzle with a small amount of the reserved cooking liquid and lightly season with salt.
- Bake the pork in the preheated oven until browned, about 30 minutes. Drizzle more of the cooking liquid on the meat every 10 minutes, and use two forks to shred the meat as it browns.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 249.8 calories, Carbohydrate 2.3 g, Cholesterol 62.5 mg, Fat 19.1 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 16.2 g, SaturatedFat 5.9 g, Sodium 2072.3 mg, Sugar 1.1 g
CRISPY PORK CARNITAS
There's nothing like carnitas. Cubes of fragrantly spiced pork are slowly cooked in lard until they're crispy on the outside while at the same time remaining soft and succulent inside. Bust some up on a warm tortilla, drizzle with braising liquid, top with a little salsa, onion, and cilantro, and you're probably enjoying the world's best taco.
Provided by Chef John
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pork 100+ Pulled Pork Recipes
Time 3h55m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
- Remove fat from pork; cut pork meat into 2-inch cubes and roughly chop fat.
- Mix pork, garlic, olive oil, orange peel, orange juice, salt, bay leaves, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and 5-spice powder together in a bowl until pork is coated completely. Transfer mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place baking dish on a baking sheet and cover baking dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven until pork is fork-tender, about 3 1/2 hours.
- Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
- Transfer meat to a colander set over a bowl. Remove garlic, bay leaves, and orange peels from baking dish and pour accumulated juices from the baking dish over meat in colander into the bowl. Return meat to the baking dish and drizzle accumulated juices over each piece of meat.
- Cook meat under the preheated broiler for 3 minutes. Drizzle more accumulated juices over meat and continue broiling until crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer pork to a serving plate and drizzle more accumulated juices over the top.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 317.4 calories, Carbohydrate 2.1 g, Cholesterol 89.2 mg, Fat 22.6 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 25.5 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sodium 1036 mg, Sugar 0.1 g
THE BEST EVER SLOW COOKER CARNITAS
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
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.
Tips:
- Use a combination of pork shoulder and pork loin for the best carnitas.
- Score the pork shoulder to help the flavors penetrate.
- Sear the pork in a hot skillet before braising to develop flavor.
- Add a variety of spices and seasonings to the braising liquid, such as chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic.
- Braise the pork for at least 2 hours, or until it is fall-apart tender.
- Shred the pork and serve it with your favorite toppings, such as guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and cilantro.
- Make sure to use a large enough pot to accommodate all of the ingredients.
- Keep an eye on the pork while it is braising to make sure that it doesn't dry out.
- Let the carnitas cool slightly before shredding them, as this will make it easier.
- Serve the carnitas immediately, or store them in the refrigerator for later use.
Conclusion:
Pork carnitas are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in many different ways. Whether you are serving them as tacos, burritos, or enchiladas, or simply as a main course with rice and beans, carnitas are sure to be a hit. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make your own carnitas at home. So next time you are looking for a tasty and satisfying meal, give this recipe a try!
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