Carnitas Recipe

Season and Marinate

Pat the pork chunks dry with paper towels. Generously season all sides with the kosher salt and black pepper. In a large bowl or directly in the Dutch oven, add the smashed garlic, orange juice, reserved orange peel pieces, lime juice, cumin and oregano. Mix and rub the mixture into the pork pieces. Add the bay leaves tucked between pieces. Let the pork marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 4 hours refrigerated (bring to room temperature 30 minutes before cooking).

Braise the Pork

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Place the marinated pork and any accumulated juices into a heavy Dutch oven in a single layer if possible. Add the quartered onion, orange peel pieces and pour in the chicken broth (or water) — the liquid should come up about 1/3 of the way up the meat (do not fully submerge). Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop over medium heat on the Dutch oven lid or uncovered; then cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until the pork is very tender and easily shredded with a fork, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Check and Reduce

Halfway through cooking, check the liquid level. If the braising liquid has evaporated too much, add up to 1/2 cup additional water or broth. When pork is fork-tender, remove the Dutch oven from oven and transfer the pork to a large bowl, reserving the cooking liquid and aromatics. Let pork rest 10 minutes.

Shred and Crisp

Using two forks (or your hands with gloves), shred the pork into bite-sized pieces, removing and discarding bay leaves and any large pieces of orange peel. Option A (oven crisping): Spread shredded pork in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Spoon about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the reserved braising liquid over the meat to moisten, then drizzle 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over the top and toss. Roast in a preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 15–20 minutes, stirring once, until edges are crisp and browned. Option B (stovetop crisping): Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add shredded pork in a single layer and press gently; cook without moving for 3–5 minutes until a golden-brown crust forms, then flip and crisp additional 2–4 minutes. Return all pork to skillet to combine and crisp evenly.

Finish and Season

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice if desired. Stir in chopped cilantro (reserve some for garnish). Keep warm until ready to serve.

Serve

Warm tortillas. Spoon carnitas into tortillas and top with diced onion, cilantro, salsa, pickled jalapeños or other desired toppings. Serve with lime wedges on the side.