Budget friendly boneless pork shoulder is well seasoned and browned before slowly simmering in rich, citrus flavored broth, shredded, and crisped under the broiler. The result is the most delicious Mexican pork carnitas you've ever tasted.
If you've never made carnitas, the trick is to get super juicy pieces of shredded pork with crispy pieces throughout. This is one of my husband's all time favorite Mexican dishes and he is super picky about what makes good carnitas. This recipe blew him away. He said these were better than some of his favorite restaurants.
Juicy and full of flavor, cooking carnitas in the Dutch oven sets you up for perfect pork every time. The heavy bottomed pot gives you great heat control, great browning, and versatility for oven or stovetop cooking.
Why this recipe is the best!
- Browning the meat in a small amount of oil and rendering off the natural fats into the Dutch oven creates a base of flavor that makes every bite extra rich and full of flavor.
- Braising in Mexican beer, orange juice, and lime juice, with onions, garlic, and jalapeno add spice and depth of flavor that will make every bite a joy to eat.
- Using the Dutch oven gives you the option of cooking the meat on the stovetop or in the oven.
- Browning under the broiler is an easy way to get those crispy edges on a lot of meat at once without drying out the shredded pork.
- It stores and reheats easily for amazing meal prep. Once you have those succulent pieces of pork they can be made into many different dishes.
This recipe is large already, but can easily be doubled or tripled. It is the perfect dish for feeding a crowd.
Ingredients
Pork Shoulder- This versatile cut of pork is also known as the pork butt or Boston butt. It is a fairly fatty piece of pork that is perfect for slow cooking. It is sold both boneless and on the bone and is very reasonably priced.
Mexican Beer-Adding beer is a great way to add flavor to the simmering liquid. The alcohol flavor cooks away and leaves behind a nice earthy taste. Beer also has sugars which help the carnitas caramelize under the broiler.
Citrus- Adding the acidity and sweetness of citrus to the cooking liquid adds brightness to the overall dish and cuts though some of the richness.
How to make it!
Step 1: Trim and Brown
- Start by trimming away about 50 percent of the fat cap from the pork shoulder and cutting the shoulder roast into hunks about two inches by three inches.
- Mix together the dry seasonings and coat each piece of pork liberally on all sides.
- Heat ¼ cup of cooking oil in a large Dutch oven. In batches, brown seasoned pork until you form a nice crust on the outside of each piece.
Browning will help build deep flavor and render off some of the fat. Since we aren't cooking this pork in lard, the oil and rendered fat from the meat itself will make the cooking liquid rich and full flavored without extra oil.
Step 2: Slow Cooking
- Return all of the browned pork pieces back to the Dutch oven.
- Then, add white onion cut in half, seeded jalapeno, garlic cloves, bay leaves, beer, orange juice, and lime juice.
- Add enough water to just cover the pork.
- Place the lid on tight and use either the oven or stovetop method explained below.
Oven Carnitas
Make sure your racks are set to leave plenty of room for your large Dutch oven with the lid on. Then, preheat the oven to 300°. Place the browned pork fully covered with cooking liquid in the oven with the lid on tight. Cook for two hours and then remove from the oven.
Stovetop Carnitas
Once you have covered the pork with cooking liquid. Place the lid on tight and bring the pot to a low simmer. Turn the heat down to low and let the pork cook for two hours. Do not let the liquid come to a boil or even a strong simmer. It's important to keep the heat low and let it cook for the full two hours to have moist, tender pieces.
Whichever method you use, you will need to follow steps 3-4 to complete the recipe.
Step 3: Reducing the Sauce
- Remove the fully cooked pork from the Dutch oven and place on a cutting board.
- Return the pot to the stove and bring to a simmer. Reduce the remaining cooking liquid by half.
Step 4: Shredded Pork
- Using two forks, pull apart the pork until you get small shredded pieces.
Step 5: Broiling
- Transfer the shredded pork to a baking sheet.
- Then, take a half cup of the reduced cooking liquids and pour over all of the pork.
- Toss the pork in the juices until it is all nicely coated.
- Place the cookie sheet under a low broiler and let the meat crisp. After 3-5 minutes, pull out the pan of pork and use tongs to turn the carnitas over. Return to the broiler and let brown for another 3-5 minutes.
How to Serve
My favorite ways to serve Crispy Carnitas...
- Carnitas Tacos in Corn Tortillas
- Burritos in Flour Tortillas
- Burrito Bowls
- Nachos
- Authentic Carnitas Plate with Mexican Rice and Beans
- Rice Bowl Topped with a Fried Egg
Toppings
My favorite toppings for authentic pork carnitas tacos are...
- Diced White Onions
- Salsa
- Fresh Cilantro
- Lime Wedges
Other Toppings
- Pico de Gallo
- Diced Red Onion
- Sour Cream
- Shredded Cheese
- Hot Sauce
- Shredded Cabbage
- Jalapeños
- Guacamole
Make Ahead, Storage, Reheating
Dutch oven Carnitas can definitely be made ahead of serving. You will want to cook and shred the braised pork, but hold off on broiling. Add some of the concentrated cooking liquid to the container to keep the pork moist.
These can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days, or in the freezer for up to three months.
You can warm the carnitas in a microwave safe bowl. Add a few tablespoons of water to the bowl, and cover with a damp paper towel to keep them from drying out. You can then place them on a sheet pan and broil them to get them crispy.
You can also reheat in a frying pan. Again, add a few tablespoons of water and heat slowly. Once they are warm, drain away any water or let it evaporate. Turn the heat up to medium-high and let the pork crisp in the hot pan.
FAQs
There are two places you can go wrong when making Dutch Oven Carnitas. The first is cooking with intense heat. If you let your braising liquid come to a boil it will actually push the natural juices out of the meat and cause the connective tissues to toughen up. This will leave you with dry, tough pork.
The second place you can go wrong is when you are crisping the shredded pork. Using the broiler is a very easy method, but you should really pay close attention to the meat as it cooks. Use low broil only, and make sure your sheet pan is a good six inches away from the broiler.
You can definitely translate this recipe for the slow cooker. I recommend browning the meat on the stovetop to start. Then place all of the pork along with the excess oil and drippings from the frying pan to the slow cooker. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves, and jalapeno along with beer and citrus juice. Make sure to adjust the cooking liquids so that there is just enough to cover the pork. This may be more or less.
Tips for Success
- Be patient and let the large pork pieces cook on low until they are completely fork tender.
- While shedding the pork, break up any large pieces of fat and distribute small pieces evenly throughout the meat. If you have pieces that are too large to be enjoyable to eat, just pull them out and throw them away. The right amount is a matter of personal preference.
- Really watch the carnitas under the broiler. Again, be patient and use the low setting only.
More Mexican Inspired Dishes
- Mango and Avocado Salad
- Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
- Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Bowl
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn
- Leftover Steak Quesadillas
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📖 Recipe
Pork Carnitas in Dutch Oven
Equipment
- Dutch Oven Large 6-8 quarts
Ingredients
- 3-4 Pounds Pork Shoulder cut into large chunks, 2 inches by 3 inches
- ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 White Onion halved
- 4 Cloves Garlic peeled
- ¾ Cup Orange Juice about two oranges freshly squeezed
- ¼ Cup Lime Juice four limes freshly squeezed
- 12 Ounces Mexican Beer
- 1 Jalapeno halved, seeded
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 2 Teaspoons Coarse Salt
- 1 Teaspoons Black Pepper
Garnish
- 16 Corn tortillas warmed, optional
- ½ Cup White Onion diced optional
- ½ Cup Cilantro Chopped optional
- 2 Limes cut into wedges optional
Instructions
- Start by trimming away about 50 percent of the fat cap from the pork shoulder and cutting the shoulder roast into hunks about 2 inches by three inches.
- Mix together the dry seasonings and coat each piece of pork liberally on all sides.
- Heat ¼ cup of cooking oil in a large Dutch oven. In batches, brown seasoned pork until you form a nice crust on the outside of each piece.
- Browning will help build deep flavor and render off some of the fat. Since we aren't cooking this pork in lard, the oil and rendered fat from the meat itself will make the cooking liquid rich and full flavored without extra oil.
- Return all of the browned pork pieces back to the Dutch oven.
- Then, add white onion cut in half, seeded jalapeno, garlic cloves, bay leaves, beer, orange juice, and lime juice.
- Add enough water to just cover the pork.
- Place the lid on tight and cook on low heat using either the oven or stovetop method explained below.
- Remove the fully cooked pork from the Dutch oven and place on a cutting board.
- Return the pot to the stove and bring to a simmer. Reduce the remaining cooking liquid by half.
- Using two forks, pull apart the pork until you get small shredded pieces.
- Transfer the shredded pork to a baking sheet.
- Then, take a half cup of the reduced cooking liquids and pour over all of the pork.
- Toss the pork in the juices until it is all nicely coated.
- Place the cookie sheet under a low broiler and let the meat crisp. After 3-5 minutes, pull out the pan of pork and use tongs to turn the carnitas over. Return to the broiler and let brown for another 3-5 minutes.
Notes
- Diced White Onions
- Salsa
- Fresh Cilantro
- Lime Wedges
Other Toppings
- Pico de Gallo
- Diced Red Onion
- Sour Cream
- Shredded Cheese
- Hot Sauce
- Shredded Cabbage
- Jalapeños
- Guacamole
- Be patient and let the large pork pieces cook on low until they are completely fork tender.
- While shedding the pork, break up any large pieces of fat and distribute small pieces evenly throughout the meat. If you have pieces that are too large to be enjoyable to eat, just pull them out and throw them away. The right amount is a matter of personal preference.
- Really watch the carnitas under the broiler. Again, be patient and use the low setting only.
Nutrition
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Andrea says
These pork carnitas look amazing! I love all the flavors and that you crisp up the pieces before serving. Yummy!
Emily says
So many great tips on cooking the meat for carnitas! Thank you for this wonderful recipe 🙂
Heather says
This carnitas dish looks to die for! Going to make this weekend in the slow cooker… can’t wait!
Jamie says
I love carnitas and looking forward to making this! It looks so flavorful and perfect for dinner!
Tara says
Oh yum! You had me at rich, citrus-flavored broth. These carnitas look so good.