Best 4 Easy Carnitas Recipes

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Carnitas is a traditional Mexican dish made with braised or roasted pork. The name carnitas comes from the Spanish word "carne," which means "meat," and "itas," which is a diminutive suffix. Carnitas is typically made with pork shoulder, but other cuts of pork, such as pork loin or pork butt, can also be used. The meat is seasoned with a variety of spices, including cumin, oregano, and chili powder, and then cooked until it is fall-apart tender. Carnitas can be served on its own, or it can be used as a filling for tacos, burritos, and other Mexican dishes. There are many different recipes for carnitas, but all of them share a few key steps. First, the pork is browned in a large pot or Dutch oven. Then, the meat is braised in a flavorful liquid, such as orange juice, pineapple juice, or beer. Finally, the meat is shredded and served with a variety of toppings, such as salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. This article includes three different carnitas recipes:

1. Classic Carnitas: This recipe uses pork shoulder, orange juice, and pineapple juice to create a classic carnitas dish with a sweet and tangy flavor.

2. Slow-Cooker Carnitas: This recipe uses a slow cooker to make carnitas, which makes it a great option for busy weeknights. The slow cooker does all the work, and you can come home to a delicious meal that is ready to serve.

3. Carnitas Tacos: This recipe shows you how to make carnitas tacos, which are a popular Mexican street food. The tacos are filled with carnitas, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.

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

CARNITAS EASY SHREDDED PORK



Carnitas Easy Shredded Pork image

A great make ahead recipe for tamales or tacos. No slow cooking because this recipe used Trader Joe's Traditional Carnitas a Mexican oven roasted pork. Just shred and add to the rest of the ingredients. For a little extra boast add some of Recipe #15301.

Provided by Rita1652

Categories     Pork

Time 35m

Yield 4 cups, 24 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

12 ounces oven roasted cooked pork, Shredded
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large vidalia onion, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano

Steps:

  • In a pan heat oil then add the last 6 ingredients and cook over medium heat till softened about 20 minutes. Stirring every couple minutes.
  • Mix in shredded pork.
  • This can be made ahead up three month in freezer container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Fill your favorite wraps, corn or flour tortillas or tacos garnish as you please with sour cream, salsa, avocado -- .

EASY PORK CARNITAS



Easy Pork Carnitas image

This authentic Mexican pork carnitas recipe takes very little effort and uses only a handful of ingredients. Just the way we make it in Mexico: lots of flavor and no fuss. [Recipe originally submitted to Allrecipes.com.mx]

Provided by ladoƱa

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Mexican

Time 1h25m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 3

1 (5 pound) boneless pork shoulder
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon safflower oil

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Trim excess fat from pork shoulder and cut pork into 2-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper on all sides.
  • Heat a cast iron braiser over medium-high heat. Pour oil into the pot and brown pork on all sides, about 10 minutes. Cover with the lid.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until pork is crispy on the outside and soft, but fully cooked, on the inside, about 1 hour.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 278.4 calories, Cholesterol 106.9 mg, Fat 13.7 g, Protein 36.4 g, SaturatedFat 4.3 g, Sodium 92.7 mg

EASY CARNITAS (PULLED PORK)



Easy Carnitas (Pulled Pork) image

Why go to your local taco stop when you can make your own authentic carnitas at home. Very simple, just throw ingredients in pan and put in oven. Taste delicious with warm corn tortillas, chopped onions and chopped cilantro.

Provided by Chef Sarita in Aust

Categories     Pork

Time 1h10m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 1/2-2 lbs boneless pork (butt, roast or pork for carnitas (cut into 1 1/2-2 in cubed chunks )
1/4 cup orange peel
1/2 cup sliced white onion
2 -3 tablespoons cumin powder
salt
pepper

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl, mix pork, orange zest/peel, cumin (to your taste), and salt to taste. Place seasoned pork in large rectangular baking pan and top with onions.
  • Bake covered with aluminium paper for about 1 hr 45 minutes. During the cooking time, about every 30 mins or so, check on the pork and turn to prevent the pork from burning. To creat a crispy texture to pork, bake in oven 15 min more UNCOVERED and turn once so that all sides get crispy texture.
  • Shred and serve with warm tortillas.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 392.9, Fat 26.1, SaturatedFat 9, Cholesterol 114, Sodium 99.4, Carbohydrate 4.8, Fiber 1.2, Sugar 0.9, Protein 33

EASY CARNITAS



Easy Carnitas image

I made up this recipe for Pork Carnitas using leftover shredded pork. It was fast to make and tasted great - as good as any burrito restaurant.

Provided by fab.butcher

Categories     Pork

Time 40m

Yield 6 burritos, 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 cups cooked shredded pork
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 minced garlic cloves
4 ounces chopped green chilies
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 dash pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
5 -6 tortillas
salad greens
chopped tomato
salsa
shredded cheese
sour cream
guacamole

Steps:

  • Reheat cooked rice with 1 cup of chicken broth. Simmer rice until all liquid is absorbed.
  • Cook shredded pork in pan with remaining chicken broth, garlic, green chilis, cumin, chili powder, pepper and red pepper (optional) for 15 - 20 minutes. Can add additional chicken broth if needed.
  • Serve pork and rice with tortillas and top as you like with other ingredients.

Tips:

  • Choose the right cut of pork: Pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) is the best cut for carnitas because it is well-marbled and will become tender and flavorful when cooked slowly.
  • Score the pork shoulder: Scoring the pork shoulder will help the seasonings penetrate the meat and will also help the pork crisp up in the oven.
  • Use a flavorful marinade: The marinade is what will give your carnitas their flavor, so be sure to use a mixture of spices and herbs that you enjoy. Some popular options include cumin, chili powder, garlic, oregano, and orange juice.
  • Cook the pork shoulder slowly: Carnitas are traditionally cooked for several hours at a low temperature. This allows the pork to become tender and fall apart easily.
  • Shred the pork shoulder: Once the pork shoulder is cooked, shred it with two forks. This will make it easier to serve and will also help the carnitas absorb more of the flavorful marinade.

Conclusion:

Carnitas is a delicious and versatile dish that can be served in a variety of ways. It can be used as a taco filling, burrito filling, or enchilada filling. It can also be served on its own with rice and beans. No matter how you choose to serve it, carnitas is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.

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