Traditional Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)

5 from 56 votes

Traditional Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)

These Traditional Carnitas are Mexico’s version of pulled pork. The pork butt is slow cooked in a Dutch oven until falling apart. It is tender, moist, and full of flavor. These can be made with or without lard (manteca).

Prep Time5

Cook Time3 15

Total Time3 20

Course: Main

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: people

Calories: 76kcal

Author: Brianna May

Equipment

Ingredients

4-5 pound boneless pork butt or shoulder, cut into 7-9 pieces
1 Tablespoon Morton kosher salt*
2 Tablespoons cumin
1 ½ Tablespoons dried oregano
1 ½ Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
2-3 Tablespoons neutral oil or lard*
1 large yellow or white onion, diced
10-12 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, plus rinds
3 limes, juiced
1 12- ounce Mexican Coca-Cola*
2 bay leaves

Optional For Serving

warm tortillas, cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, pickled red onions

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the pork with the salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and paprika until completely coated.
In a 6 quart dutch oven or large heavy bottom pot, heat 2 Tablespoons of the avocado oil (or lard) over medium-high heat. Sear the pork in batches of about 3 pieces on all sides until brown, adding more oil as needed.
Remove from pot. Do not drain any excess grease. Reduce the heat to medium.
Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Deglaze the pot with the orange and lime juice, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
Pour in the Coke and bring the mixture to a boil.
Add the seared pork and any juices from the plate back into the pot so they are submerged in the braising liquid.
Add the orange rinds and bay leaves on top.
Cover and bake for 3 hours.
Remove the pork from the pot and shred it with two forks. It should be extremely tender.
Transfer the shredded pork back into the pot with all of its juices.
Optional: Spread shredded pork onto a large sheet pan in an even layer and broil until crispy. Assemble tacos.

Notes

Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
Oil: You can use vegetable oil, avocado oil, or olive oil. Lard can also be used.
Coca-Cola: Many grocery stores in Dallas sell bottles of Coca-Cola made in Mexico. They are made with real can sugar giving the soda a better flavor. If you can’t find this, regular Coke works as well.
Sear the pork. Creating a deep brown crust on the exterior toasts the spices and adds a ton of flavor. Don’t skip this step.
Don’t rush the cooking process. Pork butt is a tough cut of meat and needs time to become tender. Slow cooking is the best way to ensure the meat is falling apart. It is worth the wait!
Transfer back into the juices. Most of the flavor is in the pork juices/braising liquid. Toss all of the shredded pork back into the pot with this liquid.
Broil for crispy pork. This is an optional step because after the meat braises and is shredded, I am usually ready to dig in. Caramelizing them under the broiler adds a delicious flavor. I usually do this to heat up leftovers the next day. Or right after shredding if you have the patience the first time around.
Freeze leftover carnitas. Carnitas freeze great. Allow them to cool completely overnight in the fridge. Transfer to freezer-safe an airtight container or bags and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Heat directly from frozen on the stovetop. Add a splash of water or chicken broth if needed.

Nutrition