Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork) without a slow cooker
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
4 hrs
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Total Time
4 hrs 10 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
237 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mexican
Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork) without a slow cooker
Description
This Pork Carnitas recipe uses a pork shoulder rubbed with a mixture of dried oregano, cumin, peppercorn, salt, and olive oil. The meat is cooked in a covered pot alongside onions, crushed garlic, chopped jalapeño, orange juice, and water. Slow simmering for 3-4 hours results in very tender pork that easily shreds with forks.
Once shredded, the carnitas are fried in a hot skillet coated with neutral cooking oil. The shredded pork is pressed evenly without stirring for a couple of minutes to promote browning and crisp edges, adding a contrast to the tender interior pork.
The combination of spices and slow cooking imparts warm, savory flavors complemented by the citrusy brightness of orange juice. Final crisping in the skillet adds textural contrast, making it suitable for assembling into Mexican style dishes like tacos or burritos.
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram pork shoulder - skin removed, but not the fat
- ½ tablespoon oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon peppercorn
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion - chopped
- 3 cloves garlic - crushed
- 1 jalapeño or other hot pepper - chopped
- 1 orange - juiced
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil for frying, generic cooking oil
Instructions
- Wash and pat dry the pork.
- Grind together the dried oregano, cumin, peppercorn, and salt. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in olive oil to make the rub. Rub this all over the pork.
- Place the pork in a pot with lid. Add the chopped onions, garlic, jalapeno, orange juice, and water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once it starts to boil, lower the temperature to low and slow cook for several hours (3-4 hours) or until meat becomes really tender and can easily be pulled apart.
- Remove meat from the pot and let it cool off a bit. Take 2 forks to shred the meat. Set aside the remaining sauce from the pan. This can be used for extra seasoning later. You can also refrigerate the Carnitas for later or next day consumption. Just make sure you cover it so it will not dry out in the fridge.
- Fry the Carnitas before serving. In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Place the shredded pork evenly and fry for 2-3 minutes without stirring. Drizzle about 5 tablespoons of the leftover sauce over the shredded meat and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until bottom side is slightly browned and crusty and all the sauce are gone. Turn off the heat and turn the meat to warm the other side through.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 237 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 237kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 68mg | 23% |
| Sodium | 856mg | 36% |
| Potassium | 434mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 75IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 17mg | 19% |
| Calcium | 43mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1.7mg | 9% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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