This Carnitas Recipe is amazingly juicy braised pork that has been cooked till it’s collapse tender, and shredded with scrumptious spices. Serve this pork shoulder recipe as a submitting for tacos, burritos, or as a taco salad! I give directions for the Immediate Pot Carnitas, sluggish cooker Carnitas, and oven.

These Carnitas are very easy to make. You’ll be able to have them in your chosen cooking vessel in about 10 minutes. Then it’s only a ready sport for them to get juicy and tender and make your entire home scent like succulent pulled pork. Then the carnitas are crisped up and stuffed in a taco or burrito bowl…does life get any higher? I do not assume so.
What’s carnitas?
Carnitas is a basic Mexican shredded pork shoulder recipe. It’s usually cooked in confit, which is a shower of melted fats. Historically that will be a melted pot of lard which makes for amazingly tender carnitas. I do know that isn’t simple to return by, an enormous pot filled with melted lard, so most Individuals go for a neater model. That will be both an Immediate Pot, sluggish cooker, or Dutch oven.
Elements wanted
This part explains how to decide on the most effective substances for this carnitas recipe, what each does within the pork shoulder recipe, and substitution choices. For the printable recipe, see the recipe card beneath.
4-5 pound pork shoulder, lower into massive chunks
1 grapefruit, zested and juiced
½ onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons floor cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon floor cinnamon
1 bay leaf
3 teaspoons kosher salt
lime juice and chopped cilantro for serving
make Immediate Pot Carnitas
This part explains the right way to make these pork carnitas step-by-step. For a full printable recipe, sluggish cooker and oven directions, see the recipe card beneath.
Step 1 – Strain cook dinner. Add all the substances, besides lime juice and cilantro, to the liner of the moment pot. Combine properly. Place the lid, be sure that it’s set to sealing. Cook dinner excessive strain for 35 minutes. After the timer goes off, let the strain launch naturally.

Step 2 – After the strain releases, take away the lid and use a slotted spoon to take away the pork shoulder from the liquid and onto a 13×9 rimmed baking sheet. Pre-heat your broiler.

Step 3 – Shred and crisp the meat. Utilizing 2 forks or tongs, shred the meat and take away any massive chunks of fats. Place the meat underneath the broiler and let the meat get brown and crispy, about 5-8 minutes. Watch intently so the carnitas don’t burn. Serve this pork recipe with lime juice and chopped cilantro.

Serving options for pork carnitas
My dilemma is all the time what to do with all of this leftover juicy pork shoulder recipe. You’ll be able to solely make tacos on Tuesday, proper?! Effectively, I’ve provide you with some low carb concepts through the years that do not embrace lettuce cups. Go forward and thank me now.
- Pork carnitas on high of cilantro lime cauliflower rice
- You may get a bit of extra fancy and have carnitas combined with cheese and stuffed into zucchini boats
- Carnitas, avocado, a runny egg, YUM!
- Cloud bread, mashed avocado, carnitas, cotija cheese, cilantro and lime juice
- Pork nachos with carnitas!
- Simply carnitas. These are so good, they want no accompaniments.
Storage directions for this carnitas recipe
Retailer: These carnitas will maintain within the fridge for as much as 4 days in an hermetic container.
Re-heating: To reheat the pork carnitas, Warmth a bit of oil in a skillet over excessive warmth. Add the carnitas to the pan, being cautious to not overcrowd the pan. Let brown for a couple of minutes, then flip and proceed browning for 1 minute extra. Serve. If the meat appears a bit of dry, add a bit of hen broth to the pan and let it soak into the meat, then let it brown.
Freeze: Place cooked and cooled carnitas in an hermetic, freezer protected container and freeze for as much as 3 months. When able to eat, let thaw utterly and warmth utilizing the re-heating technique above.
Instruments to make these carnitas simpler
Rimmed baking tray – These multi-purpose sheet pans are a few of my most used kitchen instruments. They’re excellent for roasting, baking cookies, or sheet pan meals.
Immediate Pot – You do not want a elaborate Immediate Pot to make Immediate Pot carnitas. That is the one I’ve and it has served me for years.
Sluggish Cooker – Should you favor your carnitas in a sluggish cooker, this one I’ve linked additionally has a browning operate which I discover tremendous useful.
Extra Pork Recipes
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Carnitas – The Final Pork Shoulder Recipe
This Carnitas Recipe is amazingly juicy braised pork shoulder that has been cooked till it’s collapse tender, and shredded with scrumptious spices. Function a submitting for tacos, burritos, or as a taco salad! I give directions for the Immediate Pot Carnitas, sluggish cooker Carnitas, and oven.
PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPEServings: 8
Energy: 393kcal
Elements
- 4-5 pound pork shoulder ,lower into massive chunks
- 1 grapefruit ,zested and juiced
- ½ onion ,sliced
- 4 garlic cloves ,minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons floor cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon floor cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- lime juice and chopped cilantro for serving
Directions
Immediate Pot Carnitas
Add all the substances, besides lime juice and cilantro, to the liner of the moment pot. Combine properly. Place the lid, be sure that it’s set to sealing. Cook dinner excessive strain for 35 minutes. After the timer goes off, let the strain launch naturally.
After the strain releases, take away the lid and use a slotted spoon to take away the meat from the liquid and onto a 13×9 rimmed baking sheet. Pre-heat your broiler.
Utilizing 2 forks or tongs, shred the meat and take away any massive chunks of fats. Place the meat underneath the broiler and let the meat get brown and crispy, about 5-8 minutes. Watch intently so they don’t burn. Serve with lime juice and chopped cilantro.
Sluggish Cooker Carnitas
Add all the substances, besides lime juice and cilantro, to the liner of the sluggish cooker. Combine properly. Place the lid and cook dinner on low for 8 hours. Use a slotted spoon to take away the meat from the liquid and onto a 13×9 rimmed baking sheet. Pre-heat your broiler.
Utilizing 2 forks or tongs, shred the meat and take away any massive chunks of fats. Place the meat underneath the broiler and let the meat get brown and crispy, about 5-8 minutes. Watch intently so they don’t burn. Serve with lime juice and chopped cilantro.
Oven Baked Carnitas
Preheat the oven to 325F. Add all the substances, besides lime juice and cilantro, to a big Dutch Oven pot with a lid. Combine properly. Place the lid. Bake within the oven for two hours or till the pork is fork tender and shreds simply. Use a slotted spoon to take away the meat from the liquid and onto a 13×9 rimmed baking sheet. Pre-heat your broiler.
Utilizing 2 forks or tongs, shred the meat and take away any massive chunks of fats. Place the meat underneath the broiler and let the meat get brown and crispy, about 5-8 minutes. Watch intently so they don’t burn. Serve with lime juice and chopped cilantro.
Jennifer’s suggestions
Servings: 8
Diet per serving
Energy: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 36g | Fats: 24g
Diet is supplied as a courtesy solely. Please re-calculate by yourself with the substances and quantities you used for essentially the most correct information.