Carnitas, a traditional Mexican dish, is a delectable pork dish that tantalizes taste buds with its succulent flavors and tender texture. Originating in the state of Michoacan, carnitas has gained immense popularity worldwide, becoming a staple of Mexican cuisine. This versatile dish can be enjoyed in various forms, from tacos and burritos to tortas and enchiladas. Prepared using high-quality pork shoulder, carnitas is slow-cooked in its own juices and seasoned with an array of aromatic spices, resulting in fall-off-the-bone meat that simply melts in your mouth. Explore our carefully curated collection of carnitas recipes, ranging from classic double pork carnitas to tantalizing carnitas tacos and mouthwatering carnitas bowls. Each recipe provides step-by-step instructions, ensuring a hassle-free cooking experience. So, gather your ingredients, fire up your kitchen, and embark on a culinary journey to savor the authentic taste of Mexican carnitas.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
EASY PORK CARNITAS (MEXICAN PULLED PORK)
Easy pork carnitas are sure to win you over. They come out just right - and that means crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside!
Provided by Natalya Drozhzhin
Categories Easy
Time 5h40m
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Pat the pork dry with a paper towel. Combine salt, pepper and dried oregano and rub pork with the seasoning.
- In the slow cooker, add chopped onion, garlic cloves, broth, lime juice, orange juice, and bay leaves.
- Add the pork to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker. Shredded the pork with two forks. Keep the juice.
- To get crispy edges, transfer the shredded pork to a baking sheet. Pour ½ cup of the juices on top of the meat and broil it for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 324 kcal, Carbohydrate 5 g, Protein 52 g, Fat 9 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Cholesterol 143 mg, Sodium 2738 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 2 g, ServingSize 1 serving
PORK CARNITAS
Provided by Ree Drummond : Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 1h25m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Set a multi-cooker to the Saute setting and add the oil.
- Sprinkle the cubed pork generously with salt and pepper. Sear the pork in batches on all sides until well browned. Remove to a plate, add the onions and poblanos and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the oregano, cumin, chile powder and garlic and continue to cook for an additional minute.
- Add the lemon-lime soda and orange zest and juice. Return the pork pieces and any liquid that is on the plate to the multi-cooker. Cover and position the vent to the Sealing setting. Set the multi-cooker for High Pressure, use the Manual button to adjust the cook time to 25 minutes and cook. When the time is up, allow the multi-cooker to sit for an additional 10 minutes.
- Preheat the broiler.
- Carefully release the remaining pressure by switching the vent to Venting. Let the steam vent until the float valve has dropped, then remove the lid. Remove the pork mixture with a slotted spoon to a baking sheet and shred the pork with 2 forks.
- Place the baking sheet under the broiler and crisp the carnitas for 2 to 3 minutes. (Watch carefully to prevent burning.) Remove from the oven, ladle some of the juices from the pot over the carnitas and carefully toss. Serve alongside the warm tortillas with peach salsa, Easy Queso and fresh cilantro leaves.
- Combine the cheese, the whole can of tomatoes and chiles and the jar of pimientos with their liquid in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cheese is fully melted, 5 to 7 minutes.
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
DOUBLE-PORK CARNITAS
It's worth seeking out pork belly for the amazing texture it lends, but if you can't get it, substitute with another pound of shoulder.
Provided by Rick Martinez
Categories Bon Appétit Dinner Pork Braise Taco Sugar Conscious Paleo Dairy Free Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Place pork shoulder, pork belly, stock, salt, and pepper in a large heavy pot; cover and bring to a boil over medium-low. Reduce heat and simmer until pork is tender and shreds easily, about 2 hours. Uncover; cook 10 minutes to reduce liquid (but not completely). Remove from heat.
- Transfer half of pork and pan juices to a large skillet, preferably nonstick, and cook over high until liquid evaporates and pork begins to fry in its rendered fat. Fry, stirring occasionally and pressing on pork with spoon to break up, until browned and just beginning to crisp, 10-15 minutes. Most of the pieces should be bite-size with some smaller shredded and super-crisp bits in the mix. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Cover with foil to keep warm and moist. Repeat with remaining pork.
- Serve carnitas with tortillas, onion, limes, avocado, herbs, and cabbage.
- Do Ahead
- Pork can be braised (do not fry) 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.
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
CARNITAS
Carnitas (or "little meats") are a traditional Mexican dish of cubed pork shoulder braised with spices and citrus until tender. Fresh orange, crushed garlic, earthy oregano and aromatic cinnamon and bay leaf create a rich and fragrant braising liquid that imparts its savory flavors into the pork as it cooks. There's very little hands-on work involved, and the carnitas can be made a day ahead. Store the pork in the liquid overnight, then gently reheat before serving. A final finish under the broiler creates a golden, crispy exterior on the meat.
Provided by Kay Chun
Categories dinner, meat, tacos, main course
Time 3h
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, combine pork, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and the oregano, and toss to evenly coat the meat in the spices. Squeeze orange juice all over the pork and add the juiced orange quarters to the pot. Add onion, garlic, cinnamon stick and bay leaf, and toss until well incorporated, nestling everything in an even layer. Drizzle oil evenly over the meat. Cover and braise in oven until pork is tender, about 2 1/2 hours, stirring once halfway through the cooking.
- Heat broiler to high, setting a rack 6 inches from the heat source. Transfer pork to a rimmed baking sheet and shred the meat. Strain juices from the pot through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing on the solids; discard solids. Skim fat from top and reserve the juices.
- Broil pork until golden and crisp in spots, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer carnitas to serving plates and drizzle with some of the reserved juices. Serve warm with tortillas and toppings of choice.
Tips:
- For the most authentic carnitas, use a combination of pork shoulder and pork belly. Pork shoulder is leaner, while pork belly is fattier, and the combination of the two results in tender, juicy meat with a crispy exterior.
- Be sure to score the pork before cooking. This will help the meat to cook evenly and will allow the flavors of the marinade to penetrate deeply.
- Don't overcrowd the pot when cooking the pork. If you do, the meat will not brown properly and will be more likely to stew than to crisp up.
- Cook the pork until it is fall-apart tender. This will take about 2-3 hours, depending on the size and thickness of the meat.
- Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the pot and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before shredding. This will help the meat to retain its juices.
- Serve the carnitas with your favorite toppings, such as salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and cheese.
Conclusion:
Carnitas is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Whether you serve it in tacos, burritos, or simply on its own with your favorite toppings, carnitas is sure to be a hit.
With a little planning and effort, you can easily make carnitas at home. Just be sure to follow the tips above and you'll be rewarded with a dish that is sure to impress your family and friends.
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