Pork Carnitas Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Pat the pork shoulder cubes dry with paper towels. Mix kosher salt, black pepper, oregano and cumin in a small bowl and rub evenly over the pork cubes.

Arrange pork and aromatics

Place the seasoned pork in a medium Dutch oven or an ovenproof pot in a single layer as much as possible. Scatter smashed garlic cloves and bay leaves among the pork pieces. Pour orange and lime juice over the pork.

Add fat and cook low and slow

Pour the lard or oil into the pot so it comes about halfway up the sides of the pork pieces. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3 to 4 hours until the pork is very tender and shreddable. Check at 2.5 hours: pieces should be tender and pull apart with a fork. If needed, continue until fork-tender.

Cool and store in fat

Remove the pot from the oven. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork pieces to a tray. Reserve the cooking fat. Let the pork cool slightly in the fat for 15 minutes — this step helps keep meat moist and allows flavors to meld.

Shred

Shred the pork with two forks into bite-sized pieces, leaving some larger chunks for texture. Return shredded pork to a shallow layer of warm fat (or strain fat and spoon a few tablespoons back over the meat) to keep it moist until ready to crisp.

While the pork cooks, place thinly sliced red onion in a heatproof jar or bowl. In a small saucepan combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt and optional peppercorns. Bring to a brief simmer just to dissolve sugar and salt, then remove from heat.

Pour the hot brine over the sliced onions, pressing them down so they’re submerged. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Onions will be nicely pickled after 30 minutes and keep in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Roast or simmer the tomatillos and chile: place tomatillos and serrano on a sheet pan under a broiler or in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until charred spots appear and tomatillos soften (about 6–8 minutes). Let cool slightly.

In a blender or food processor combine roasted tomatillos, chile, avocado, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Pulse until you reach a coarse, creamy salsa — add up to 1 tablespoon water if it’s too thick. Taste and adjust salt or lime as needed. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until serving.

Crisp the carnitas (two methods): Method A - Oven broil: Spread shredded pork in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Spoon a few tablespoons of reserved fat or vegetable oil over the top and toss lightly. Broil 3–5 minutes until edges begin to crisp, then toss and broil another 2–4 minutes to get some golden-brown, crispy bits. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Method B - Skillet: Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a single layer of shredded pork (work in batches). Press down and let cook undisturbed 2–3 minutes, then stir and let cook another 1–2 minutes until crisped. Remove to a warm plate and repeat with remaining pork.

Warm tortillas: Wrap tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and warm in a dry skillet or microwave for 30–45 seconds until pliable. Keep wrapped to stay warm.

Assemble tacos: Place 2–3 tablespoons of crisped carnitas on each tortilla. Top with 1–2 tablespoons avocado–tomatillo salsa, a few pickled onion slices, chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Add crumbled cotija if using.

Serve: Serve immediately with extra lime wedges and remaining pickled onions and salsa on the side.