Pork Carnitas Recipe

Season pork

Pat the pork pieces dry with paper towels. Rub all sides with 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Let rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes (or refrigerate covered up to overnight).

Brown pork

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Heat a large Dutch oven or ovenproof heavy pot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. When shimmering, brown pork pieces in batches, 4–6 minutes per side, until well caramelized. Transfer browned pork to a plate.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped yellow onion, quartered poblano, and smashed garlic to the pot. Sauté 5–7 minutes until softened and beginning to brown, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon.

Deglaze & assemble

Pour in 1 cup fresh orange juice and 1 tablespoon lime juice, scraping up any stuck bits. Add 2 cups chicken stock and 2 bay leaves. Return pork to the pot, nestling pieces into the liquid so they are partly submerged (liquid should come about halfway up the meat). Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop.

Slow roast

Cover the pot and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook until pork is fall-apart tender, 2.5–3.5 hours, turning once halfway. Check at 2.5 hours: a fork should slide into the meat easily; when it pulls apart into large shreds, it’s ready.

Shred & reduce cooking liquid

Carefully remove pork to a cutting board. Reserve 2–3 tablespoons of cooking fat from the pot (skim from surface). Shred pork with two forks into bite-sized shreds or small chunks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Strain braising liquid into a saucepan, discard solids, and simmer the liquid over medium-high heat until reduced by about half (4–8 minutes) to concentrate flavor. You should end with roughly 1/2–1 cup of flavorful liquid and some separated fat.

Combine & crisp (optional)

Return shredded pork to the pot or a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the reduced braising liquid and reserved fat over the pork and toss to coat. To crisp like classic carnitas: preheat broiler to high or oven to 450°F (230°C). Spread pork in an even layer on a rimmed sheet and roast/broil 6–10 minutes until edges brown and some pieces crisp. Toss and return for another 4–6 minutes until desired crispness. Alternatively, crisp in a skillet over medium-high heat with 1–2 tablespoons reserved fat, stirring until edges caramelize. Taste and adjust salt.

While pork cooks (or at least 30 minutes before serving), make the quick pickled onions. Place 1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns (if using) in a small saucepan. Heat just until sugar and salt dissolve, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Pack thinly sliced red onion into a jar or bowl and pour the warm pickling liquid over them so they are fully submerged. Let sit at least 20 minutes at room temperature; for milder bite, refrigerate 1 hour or overnight. Drain before serving (reserve a little pickling liquid if you want to moisten tacos).

Combine 1 cup sour cream or Mexican crema, 1 cup packed cilantro leaves, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon lime zest, 1 garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. If too thick, add up to 2 tablespoons water to reach a pourable consistency. Taste and adjust salt or lime.

Warm tortillas: wrap tortillas in foil and heat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes, or warm on a dry skillet over medium heat a few seconds per side.

Assemble tacos: place 2–3 tablespoons shredded carnitas on each warm tortilla. Top with a spoonful of pickled red onions, a sprinkle of crumbled queso fresco, chopped cilantro, and a drizzle of cilantro‑lime crema. Serve with lime wedges and optional pickled jalapeños or hot sauce.

Storage: refrigerate shredded pork in its cooking liquid up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Re-crisp in a skillet or oven before serving.