Pork Carnitas
Tender pork shoulder slowly cooked in citrus until it falls apart, then crisped in its own fat.
Serves 8
Prep 15 min
Cook 3 hr
Ingredients
- 3 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut in 3-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 orange, juiced, and the halves added to the pot
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 onion, quartered
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup water
- Warm tortillas, to serve
Steps
Step 1. Heat the oven to 300°F. Rub the pork with the salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano.
Step 2. Put the pork in a heavy pot with the orange juice and halves, lime juice, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and water. Cover.
Step 3. Cook for about 3 hours, turning once, until the pork is very tender and well past cooked through (195°F or more).
Step 4. Shred the meat and spread on a sheet pan with a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid.
Step 5. Broil for 5 to 8 minutes until the edges are brown and crisp. Serve in tortillas with onion, cilantro, and salsa.
Where this recipe comes from
Yoribang Mexican recipes, part two by Yoribang. License: Free to use. View the original (opens in a new tab)
More Yoribang write-ups of Mexican dishes. Corn tortillas, dried hibiscus, queso fresco, cotija, and Mexican chocolate are sold at Latin grocery stores and many supermarkets. Chile heat varies from one pepper to the next, so taste a little before adding more.