Carnitas Recipe
Make Carnitas Recipe in just 3h 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Pork and Marinade
Cooking Liquid & Aromatics
Finishing & Serving
Method
Pork and Marinade
- 1
Season the pork
Pat the pork shoulder cubes dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, combine salt, black pepper, cumin and oregano. Toss the pork with the dry spices to coat evenly.
- 2
Add aromatics and citrus
Add the minced garlic, orange juice and lime juice to the bowl with the pork. Mix to combine so the pork is well coated. Add the bay leaves. Let the pork marinate at room temperature for 20–30 minutes or refrigerate for up to 4 hours for more flavor.
Cooking Liquid & Aromatics
- 3
Prepare for braising
Transfer the marinated pork and any juices into a large Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot. Tuck the quartered onion and whole peppercorns around the pork. Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth. If the liquid does not come about halfway up the pork pieces, add up to 1 cup additional water so the pork is partially submerged but not fully covered.
- 4
Braise the pork
Bring the pot to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat on the stove. Once simmering, cover and move the pot to a preheated 300°F (150°C) oven, or reduce the stove to low and maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, covered, until the pork is very tender and easily pulls apart, about 2.5 to 3 hours. Check at 2 hours: pork should shred easily with two forks. If not tender, continue cooking and check every 20–30 minutes.
Finishing & Serving
- 5
Shred and drain
Remove the pot from the oven. Using tongs, transfer pork pieces to a large rimmed baking sheet or bowl. Reserve 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid. With two forks or meat claws, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces, discarding bay leaves and any large pieces of fat you don’t want. Toss the shredded pork with the reserved cooking liquid to keep it moist.
- 6
Crisp the carnitas (two options)
Option A — Pan-crisp: Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add shredded pork in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Press down slightly and let sit without stirring for 2–3 minutes until the bottom is deeply browned and crisp. Flip or stir portions to crisp other sides, about 1–2 minutes more. Option B — Oven-crisp: Spread shredded pork in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil on high 4–6 inches from heat for 4–6 minutes, watching closely until edges are crisped, then toss and broil another 2–4 minutes to crisp more evenly.
- 7
Finish and serve
Transfer crisped carnitas to a serving platter. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and diced white onion. Serve with warmed tortillas, lime wedges and salsa on the side. To assemble tacos: warm a tortilla, add a portion of carnitas, top with onion, cilantro, a squeeze of lime and salsa to taste.