Carnitas (Mexican Slow-Cooked Pork)
Pork shoulder braised with orange, spices and aromatics until tender, then crisped in its own fat. Perfect for tacos, burritos or rice bowls.
Prep time15 min
Cook time150 min
Total time165 min
Servings6 servings
DifficultyMedium
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg pork shoulder, cut into chunks
- 1 orange, juiced (keep the halves)
- 1 onion, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp lard or oil
- Corn tortillas, cilantro, onion and lime, to serve
Instructions
- 1Place the pork in a heavy pot with the orange juice, orange halves, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, bay leaves and salt. Add just enough water to nearly cover.
- 2Simmer uncovered for 2-2.5 hours until the pork is very tender and the liquid has mostly evaporated.
- 3Remove the orange halves and bay leaves. Increase the heat and let the pork brown and crisp in its own fat, stirring occasionally.
- 4Shred the pork with two forks, mixing the crisp bits back in.
- 5Serve in warm tortillas with cilantro, onion and lime.
Tips
- Let the liquid fully reduce so the pork fries in its own rendered fat for that crispy edge.
- Don't shred too finely — keep some chunky pieces for texture.
- The braising liquid concentrates into a flavorful base; mix it back into the meat before crisping.
