Best 6 Best Pork Carnitas Ever Recipes

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Carnitas, a traditional Mexican dish, is a delectable pork dish that is sure to tantalize your taste buds. This versatile dish can be enjoyed in various forms, from tacos to burritos to enchiladas. With its tender and flavorful meat, crispy edges, and mouthwatering aroma, it's no wonder carnitas have become a favorite among food enthusiasts worldwide. Whether you're a seasoned cook looking to elevate your culinary skills or a beginner seeking an easy-to-follow recipe, this article will guide you through the steps of creating the best pork carnitas ever. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey that will leave you craving for more with every bite.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

PORK CARNITAS RECIPE



Pork Carnitas Recipe image

This method by Diana Kennedy, requiring only pork, water, and salt, is the simplest AND most delicious carnitas recipe I've ever had.

Provided by Joanne Ozug

Categories     Main Course

Time 2h10m

Number Of Ingredients 2

3 lbs boneless pork shoulder ((aka boston butt))
1.5 tsp salt

Steps:

  • Cut the pork into strips approximately 2 inches by 3/4 inches in size (do not trim any of the fat off).
  • Place the pork strips in a high-sided skillet, and add just enough cold water to barely cover the pork.
  • Add the salt, then bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to bring the water back down to a simmer (medium low heat), and simmer until the water has evaporated, approximately 90 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat more, somewhere between low and medium low, and keep cooking the pork for about another 30 minutes, turning the meat every 10 minutes or so, until the fat has rendered out, and the pork is browned all over.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 288 kcal, Protein 51 g, Fat 7 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, Cholesterol 136 mg, Sodium 703 mg, ServingSize 1 serving

AUTHENTIC PORK CARNITAS - MEXICAN SLOW COOKED PULLED PORK



Authentic Pork Carnitas - Mexican Slow Cooked Pulled Pork image

Authentic Mexican pulled pork carnitas recipe are my most popular recipe for a reason! Because they are the best :)

Provided by Carole Jones

Categories     Dinner

Time 3h

Number Of Ingredients 10

4 pound boneless pork butt, fat trimmed and cut into 2 inch cubes
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 onion, peeled and halved
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
2 Tb fresh lime juice
2 C water
1 medium orange, juiced and keep the spent halves

Steps:

  • Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat to 300 degrees.
  • all the ingredients in a large Dutch oven, including the spent orange halves and juice.
  • Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, uncovered. Once it simmers, cover pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook until the meat falls apart when prodded with a fork, about 2 hours. You can also complete this step in a crock pot set on high for 6-7 hours. You will have more liquid to reduce in the next step however.
  • Remove the pot from the oven and turn on the broiler. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan and place it on a large foil-lined jelly roll pan.
  • and discard everything from the pot except for the cooking liquid. Place pot over high heat on the stove and boil until it thickens and syrupy, about 20 - 30 minutes. You should have about 1 C of liquid remaining when it is finished.
  • While the liquid is reducing, use two forks to pull each cube of pork into three equal sized pieces. Once the liquid has reduced, gently fold in the pieces of pork into the pot. Try not to break up the pork any further. Taste and add additional salt and pepper.
  • Spread the pork back onto the foil lined pan and evenly spread the meat around so there is a single layer of meat. Place the jelly roll pan on the lower middle rack of the oven and broil until the top of the meat is well browned and edges are slightly crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes. Using a wide metal spatula, flip the pieces of meat and broil the other side until well browned and edges are slightly crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately in a tortilla with all your favorite toppings.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1/12th, Calories 365 calories, Sugar 1 g, Sodium 389 mg, Fat 27 g, SaturatedFat 10 g, UnsaturatedFat 15 g, TransFat 0 g, Carbohydrate 2 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 27 g, Cholesterol 0 g

CARNITAS (MEXICAN SLOW COOKER PULLED PORK)



Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork) image

Recipe VIDEO above. Spiciness: Not at all. Scale recipe using Servings slider.These carnitas capture that elusive combination of flavourful, juicy AND crispiness. Pan frying to get the golden bits is not optional! Broiling/grilling will not produce the same results. Stuff them in tacos for an authentic Carnitas Tacos experience, see notes for other uses! FAQ below recipe.

Provided by Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Categories     Slow cooking

Time 6h15m

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 kg / 4 lb pork shoulder (pork butt) (, skinless, boneless (5lb/2.5kg bone in) (Note 1))
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 onion (, chopped)
1 jalapeno (, deseeded, chopped)
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup juice from orange (2 oranges)
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp olive oil

Steps:

  • Rinse and dry the pork shoulder, rub all over with salt and pepper.
  • Combine the Rub ingredients then rub all over the pork.
  • Place the pork in a slow cooker (fat cap up), top with the onion, jalapeño, minced garlic (don't worry about spreading it) and squeeze over the juice of the oranges.
  • Slow Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 7 hours. (Note 2 for other cook methods)
  • Pork should be tender enough to shred. Remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly. Then shred using two forks.
  • Optional: Skim off the fat from the juices remaining in the slow cooker and discard.
  • If you have a lot more than 2 cups of juice, then reduce it down to about 2 cups. The liquid will be salty, it is the seasoning for the pork. Set liquid aside - don't bother straining onion etc, it's super soft.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 205 g, Calories 578 kcal, Carbohydrate 1.7 g, Protein 45 g, Fat 42 g, SaturatedFat 15 g, Cholesterol 173 mg, Sodium 616 mg, Sugar 0.5 g, UnsaturatedFat 23.1 g

BEST PORK CARNITAS EVER



Best Pork Carnitas Ever image

This is a very simple recipe for the best tasting pork carnies meat I have ever had. I usually plan to make extra and use the left overs in anything from taco salads to bbq pork sandwiches.

Provided by tamshock

Categories     Pork

Time 2h40m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 pork roast, I prefer the tenderloin, cut into large chunks
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
water

Steps:

  • Cut up your pork roast into 1 to 2 inch chunks (Don't trim the fat it will render in final part of cooking) and put it in a large pot. Add the cup of orange juice and your seasonings. Add enough water to just cover the meat (it's ok if it's not completely covered). Bring it to a simmer and let it simmer uncovered for 2 hours. I know you'll be tempted but DO NOT stir or touch the meat during these 2 hours. You should have enough water/juice in the pot that by the end of the 2 hours you will be down to about an inch or less of liquid. When you get to this point turn the heat up to medium high and chop and stir it around until the liquid evaporates and your pork is a mixture of something between chunks and shredded. I like to let it brown up a bit even. That's it, you're done! The best pork ever and the flavor is simple enough that you can do pretty much anything with the meat.

CRISPY PORK CARNITAS



Crispy Pork Carnitas image

There's nothing like carnitas. Cubes of fragrantly spiced pork are slowly cooked in lard until they're crispy on the outside while at the same time remaining soft and succulent inside. Bust some up on a warm tortilla, drizzle with braising liquid, top with a little salsa, onion, and cilantro, and you're probably enjoying the world's best taco.

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Pork     100+ Pulled Pork Recipes

Time 3h55m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 10

3 pounds boneless pork butt (shoulder)
8 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cup olive oil
1 orange, juiced, orange parts of peel removed and sliced into thin strips
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 bay leaves, torn in half
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
  • Remove fat from pork; cut pork meat into 2-inch cubes and roughly chop fat.
  • Mix pork, garlic, olive oil, orange peel, orange juice, salt, bay leaves, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and 5-spice powder together in a bowl until pork is coated completely. Transfer mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place baking dish on a baking sheet and cover baking dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until pork is fork-tender, about 3 1/2 hours.
  • Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
  • Transfer meat to a colander set over a bowl. Remove garlic, bay leaves, and orange peels from baking dish and pour accumulated juices from the baking dish over meat in colander into the bowl. Return meat to the baking dish and drizzle accumulated juices over each piece of meat.
  • Cook meat under the preheated broiler for 3 minutes. Drizzle more accumulated juices over meat and continue broiling until crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer pork to a serving plate and drizzle more accumulated juices over the top.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 317.4 calories, Carbohydrate 2.1 g, Cholesterol 89.2 mg, Fat 22.6 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 25.5 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sodium 1036 mg, Sugar 0.1 g

PORK CARNITAS



Pork Carnitas image

Many find carnitas a little dry or flavorless. These have a great, distinctive flavor and are requested by friends and family over and over. Serve with warm, fresh tortillas and salsa.

Provided by Nette

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Mexican

Time 3h45m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 10

¼ cup vegetable oil
4 pounds pork shoulder, cut into several large pieces
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

Steps:

  • Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the pork shoulder with salt, then arrange the pork in the Dutch oven. Cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Pour in the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue to simmer until pork is very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  • Transfer the pork shoulder to a large baking sheet, reserving the cooking liquid. Drizzle with a small amount of the reserved cooking liquid and lightly season with salt.
  • Bake the pork in the preheated oven until browned, about 30 minutes. Drizzle more of the cooking liquid on the meat every 10 minutes, and use two forks to shred the meat as it browns.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 249.8 calories, Carbohydrate 2.3 g, Cholesterol 62.5 mg, Fat 19.1 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 16.2 g, SaturatedFat 5.9 g, Sodium 2072.3 mg, Sugar 1.1 g

Tips:

  • Pork shoulder is the best cut of pork for carnitas because it is fatty and flavorful. Other cuts of pork can be used, but they will not be as tender.
  • Make sure to score the pork shoulder before cooking it. This will help the pork to cook evenly and will allow the spices to penetrate the meat.
  • Use a variety of spices to flavor the pork. Common spices used for carnitas include chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic powder.
  • Cook the pork shoulder slowly and at a low temperature. This will help to tenderize the meat and prevent it from drying out.
  • Carnitas can be cooked in a Dutch oven, a slow cooker, or an Instant Pot. The cooking time will vary depending on the method of cooking.
  • Once the pork is cooked, it should be shredded. Carnitas can be served immediately or stored in the refrigerator for later use.

Conclusion:

Carnitas is a delicious and versatile dish that can be used in a variety of recipes. It is perfect for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and many other Mexican dishes. Carnitas can also be used as a topping for nachos or salads. With its smoky, flavorful taste, carnitas is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.

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