Pork Carnitas
Pork shoulder with orange, lime, garlic, and cumin, shredded and crisped under the broiler.
Pork Carnitas
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes9
hoursPork shoulder with orange, lime, garlic, and cumin, shredded and crisped under the broiler.
Ingredients
In the bag: 3–4 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut in 3-inch chunks
In the bag: 1 onion, quartered
In the bag: 4 cloves garlic, smashed
In the bag: juice of 1 orange and 1 lime
In the bag: 2 tsp cumin
In the bag: 2 tsp oregano
In the bag: 2 tsp salt
Day of: ½ cup chicken broth
To serve: tortillas, onion, cilantro, lime
1 gallon-size freezer bag
Permanent marker for the label
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
- Label the bag with the recipe, date, cook time and day-of additions before you fill it.
- Put everything except the broth in a gallon freezer bag. Press out the air, seal, and freeze.
- Two days before: move the bag to the fridge on a plate.
- Empty the bag into the crockpot, add the broth, and cook 8–10 hours on LOW.
- Shred the pork and spread it on a sheet pan with a ladle of the juices.
- Broil about 5 minutes, until the edges crisp. Serve in tortillas.
- Check that a fork pulls the pork apart with no resistance before you shred it.
- Let the pot rest 10 minutes with the lid off so the sauce settles.
- Cool leftovers within 2 hours and refrigerate in shallow containers for up to 4 days.
Notes
- The broiler is what makes carnitas. Skip it and you have pulled pork.
Why Pork Carnitas need the broiler
Nine hours of slow cooking gives you soft, juicy pork. It does not give you crisp edges. That comes only from the sheet pan and the broiler at the end. Pork shoulder has enough fat to stay moist even after it is shredded and blasted with heat.
Spoon only a ladle of juices over the meat. Too much liquid steams the pork and you lose the browning.
What to swap (Pork Carnitas)
Boneless country-style ribs work if you cannot find shoulder, though they cook a little faster. Lemon juice can stand in for the orange in a pinch, but the dish gets sharper and less rounded. Beef chuck is not a good swap here, since carnitas depend on pork fat.
Serve it, keep it
Warm corn tortillas, pickled red onion, and a squeeze of lime are all you need. Leftover meat keeps 4 days in the fridge in a bit of its juices. For tacos later in the week, crisp a portion in a hot skillet instead of firing up the broiler again.
Common mistake: crowding the pan. Spread the shredded pork in a single layer, or work in two batches.
Pork Carnitas at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 9 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 12, led by In the bag: 3–4 lb boneless pork shoulder, In the bag: 1 onion, In the bag: 4 cloves garlic, In the bag: juice of 1 orange and 1 lime
Tips for Pork Carnitas
The broiler is what makes carnitas. Skip it and you have pulled pork.
Pork Carnitas FAQ
How long does Pork Carnitas take?
Pork Carnitas takes 9 hours of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.
How many people does Pork Carnitas serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Pork Carnitas?
12 ingredients, led by In the bag: 3–4 lb boneless pork shoulder, In the bag: 1 onion, In the bag: 4 cloves garlic, In the bag: juice of 1 orange and 1 lime. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
