Servings
Font
Back
Easy Carnitas Recipe
5 from 156 votes

Easy Carnitas Recipe

Easy Carnitas combines pork shoulder slow-simmered with spices, lime juice, and broth until tender enough to shred. The pork is then baked with some cooking liquid to develop a slightly crisped texture on the outside. This approach results in juicy, flavorful pulled pork carnitas suitable for tacos, burritos, or as a main protein. The extended simmering breaks down the pork while the final baking step adds appealing texture contrast.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 8 to 12 cups
Calories: 179 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Special Equipment
  • Large Dutch oven
Carnitas
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 4-6 pound pork shoulder boneless or bone-in, trimmed of fat cap and cut into fist-sized chunks, roast
  • black pepper
  • salt
  • 1 onion diced, large
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano dried
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin ground
  • 6-8 cups chicken broth 3 to 4 cans, 14.5-ounce each

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Pre-measure all your ingredients, dice your onion, and prep your garlic. Once you get started cooking, things move fast. 
  2. Generously salt and pepper pork chunks on all sides.
  3. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, brown meat on all sides, in batches if necessary. This will take 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. Add onion, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and enough chicken broth so the meat is mostly covered. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until meat is tender and can be easily pulled apart with a fork.
  5. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer meat to a cutting board (reserve the broth) and use two forks to shred the meat. Transfer shredded meat to the baking sheet and spread it in an even layer over the surface. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid over the meat, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 10 minutes.
  6. Drizzle a little more broth over the meat, cook 10 minutes more, and repeat for a total of 30 minutes, until edges are crispy and browned.
  7. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

  • Trim fat from pork shoulder before cooking to control greasiness.
  • Brown the pork in batches so it sears properly without steaming.
  • Reserve cooking broth after simmering; it’s used to moisten the pork before baking.
  • Bake shredded pork with cooking liquid at 400°F for about 10 minutes for a crisp outer texture.
  • The nutritional figures cover approximately half a cup of meat and assume some broth consumption.

Nutrition Information

Calories 179kcal (9%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 to 12 cups

Amount Per Serving

Calories 179

% Daily Value*

Calories 179kcal 9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.