It was high time we made the BEST Pork Carnitas Recipe and this is it. A hint of citrus, juicy meat with those classic crispy bits!
What Are Carnitas?
There’s a local restaurant here called Oteos, and I’m — actually WE — are obsessed with their tacos. Cade usually goes for the steak tacos, but I always get the carnitas. Their pork carnitas is the best I’ve ever had. The carnitas are magnificently juicy and tender and there’s just the tiniest hint of citrus in them. You may not even catch it except they throw little bits of orange and pickled red onions on the taco with the pork. And that’s it. No crazy sauces and messes, just a clean, amazing taco.
So what are carnitas? Carnitas are the Mexican version of pulled pork and can be used for tacos, burritos, nachos, enchiladas, tostadas or just to eat plain. The meat is cooked low and slow and is so tender that it practically melts in your mouth.
I have some Spanish abilities but even someone with minimal Spanish knowledge will know that carnitas literally means “little meats.” It originated in state of Michoacán, Mexico. Carnitas are most often made using pork and braising it in lard until super tender. I’ve heard of people making beef carnitas, but when I hear carnitas, I automatically think pork.
What’s Needed for This Pork Carnitas Recipe?
To make the best pork carnitas, you need to be sure to use the right mixture of carnitas seasonings. Lucky for you, we’ve done the legwork for you! Here’s what we used to make this authentic carnitas recipe (note that there are three parts to this recipe — the brine, the pork rub, and the cooking ingredients):
- Orange juice
- Apple cider vinegar
- Brown sugar
- Kosher salt
- Spices (there are lots, but all are pantry staples!)
- Bone-in pork butt
- Canola oil
- Lime juice
- Chicken broth
What’s the Best Meat for Carnitas?
Pork butt is what you’re after when it comes to carnitas. It has a higher fat content, which makes the meat super juicy and tender.
What’s the Difference Between Pork Shoulder and Pork Butt?
Did you know that pork shoulder and pork butt are the same thing? Pork shoulder actually comes from the pig’s shoulder, so why is it also called pork butt if it’s not coming from the pig’s toosh? This name dates back to Colonial times when Boston butchers would pack the pork shoulder in barrels that they called butts.
Here are some other names that you might see tossed around for pork shoulder:
- Picnic shoulder
- Pork butt
- Boston butt
- Boston shoulder
- Fresh pork butt
- Boston butt roast
- Shoulder roast
How to Make Carnitas at Home
1. Brine the pork. The first step to making these BEST pork carnitas is to make the brine. For this brine, we use OJ, water, apple cider vinegar, bay leaves, brown sugar, salt and a whole host of spices.
2. Flavor the meat. The next step to making our BEST pork carnitas is the dry rub. It packs this pork with the best flavor! After the pork has brined, pull it out of the liquid and pat it dry with paper towels. Then rub that butt completely with the dry rub (salt, oregano, dried orange peel, onion powder, garlic powder and ground coriander).
3. Cook low and slow. The dry rub is the key to getting that crusty exterior that is to die for! Set that butt in a roasting pan with the roasting liquids and it cooks low and slow at 225 degrees F for 12-14 hours. I always check the internal temperature at 12 hours and it has almost always been done. An internal temp of 200 degrees is the magic number you are looking for. That is the temp where pork shoulder becomes perfectly shreddable!
4. Crisp up the meat. Add the shredded pork to a well oiled skillet and toss as it begins to crisp. Remove to a pan and repeat until all batches are done!
read more: If you love this pork carnitas recipe, you’ll also love our Carolina Pulled Pork!
Do I Have to Brine Pork for Carnitas?
In short, YES! Brining is the process of adding moisture to muscle fibers within food and dissolving the proteins most often using high concentrations of salt. When pork is brined, flavors and moisture content are enhanced. Our BEST pork carnitas should be brined for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight. Brining is an absolute must!
Can I Make Pork Carnitas in a CrockPot?
Absolutely! These pork carnitas can definitely be done in the slow cooker. Follow the instructions below as written, then cook them on low in the slow cooker for 8 – 10 hours. After the meat has rested, you will still want to crisp the meat in a pan on the stove-top before serving.
Can I Make Pork Carnitas in an Instant Pot?
Yep! We have an Instant Pot Carnitas recipe on our blog that I recommend using instead.
Can Pork Carnitas Be Frozen?
Yes, carnitas make a great freezer meal! To freeze them, allow the meat to cool completely and transfer to a freezer bag. Leave a little bit of extra room in the bag since the meat will expand when freezing. Frozen carnitas should be eaten within 2-3 months.
How to Serve Pork Carnitas
The beauty of this pork carnitas recipe is that you can use the meat so many different ways! We love making pork carnitas tacos, but here are a few more ways to repurpose the carnitas meat:
- Tacos
- Burrito bowls
- Soups
- Taco salads
- Burritos
- Quesadillas
- Sandwiches
Our Favorite Taco Toppings
We like to keep the toppings simple on these pork carnitas tacos just like Oteo’s because the meat is so dang good. But feel free to do as much or as little as you want for toppings. A few taco topping ideas are:
- Fresh pico de gallo
- Shredded cheese
- Fresh cilantro
- Pickled red onions
- Fresh orange
- Salsa
- Shredded lettuce
- Hot sauce
Tips for Making the BEST Pork Carnitas
We prefer using a bone-in pork butt for this recipe because the bone adds more flavor to the dish. If you use a boneless or cubed pork shoulder, it will most likely be done sooner. Just keep your eye on it — I would start checking around 9-10 hours.
Note that meat likes to rest after it comes out of the oven. I get it, meat! I love me a good rest too! Resting allows the juices to redistribute and reabsorb back into the meat, which then makes the meat more tender and juicy. We allow our pork to rest for up to 2 hours before shredding it to make our favorite pork carnitas tacos.
If you know you’ll be freezing some of the pork carnitas, I recommend waiting to fry the meat in the oil until you thaw and reheat it. This way you’ll still have crispy pork carnitas even though the meat was first frozen!
More EASY MEXICAN RECIPES:
Looking for more outrageously good Mexican recipes? Here are a few of our faves:
- Restaurant Style Salsa
- Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Pineapple Mexican Shredded Chicken
- Smothered Honey Lime Chicken Burritos
- Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Smothered BBQ Beef Burritos
- Crock Pot Cafe Rio Chicken Copycat
- Our Favorite Steak Fajitas Marinade
- Authentic Carne Asada Tacos
- Crisp Black Bean Vegetarian Tacos
- One-Skillet Enchilada Ground Beef Casserole
- Instant Pot Ground Beef Burrito Bowls
- ALL OF OUR MEXICAN RECIPES!
The BEST Pork Carnitas
Description
Ingredients
Brine
- 1 1/2 Cups Orange Juice
- 1/2 Cup Pineapple Juice, or lemon juice
- 20 cloves Garlic
- 2 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Sea Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Cumin
- 1 Tablespoon Oregano
- 1 Tablespoon Orange Peel, dried
- 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1/2 Cup Oil
Pork Rub
- 3-4 lb Pork Butt or shoulder, bone-in * (see notes for using boneless or cubed pork shoulder)
- 2 Tablespoons Cumin
- 1 Tablespoon Oregano
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Orange Peel, dried
- 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
Cooking
- 1/2 Cup Orange Juice
- 1/4 Cup Lime Juice
- 1/4 Cup Chicken Broth
- Canola Oil , for final crisping
Instructions
For the Brine
- Combine all brine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Remove from heat and then add the blender sauce, stirring carefully so it doesn't hop and splatter.1 1/2 Cups Orange Juice, 1/2 Cup Pineapple Juice, 20 cloves Garlic, 2 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, 2 teaspoons Sea Salt, 1 Tablespoon Cumin, 1 Tablespoon Oregano, 1 Tablespoon Orange Peel, 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika, 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder, 1/2 Cup Oil
- Spread over the pork and place a lid on then stick it in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight.3-4 lb Pork Butt or shoulder
For the Pork
- Heat the oven to 225 degrees F.
- Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry with paper towels, reserving the brine liquid.
- Mix the rub together and rub all over the pork.2 Tablespoons Cumin, 1 Tablespoon Oregano, 1 1/2 Teaspoons Orange Peel, 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder, 1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
- Mix together the liquids from the "cooking section" and pour in the bottom of the roasting pan.1/2 Cup Orange Juice, 1/4 Cup Lime Juice, 1/4 Cup Chicken Broth
- Add the pork, then pour the brine liquid over the top again.
- Cook for 12-14 hours or until internal temperature reaches 200 degrees F.
- Remove the meat and let rest for up 2 hours.
- Shred the meat and place the liquids in a fat separator.
- Heat some oil in a pan over medium high heat.Canola Oil
- Add the shredded pork in small amounts and toss as it begins to crisp. Remove to a pan and repeat until all batches are done.
- Toss with a little of the juices from the fat separator and serve!
Notes
- If you use a boneless or cubed pork shoulder, it will most likely be done sooner. Keep your eye on it. I would start checking around 9-10 hours.
- To make this dish in a slow cooker, follow the same instructions except cook on low for 8 – 10 hours. You will still want to crisp them up in a pan on the stove after the meat has rested.
Nutrition
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Adrien
This recipe is a bit confusing. So put pork in “cooking liquid” and roast/put in crock pot? Not cooking liquid AND brine, correct? Also water, bay leaf are listed in ingredients but not in the recipe. This recipe has such incredible potential just difficult to follow.
Sweet Basil
Hi Adrien! I’m so sorry for the confusion! Let me see if I can help. You will brine the pork in the brining mixture. Then pat the pork dry and rub the pork with the dry rub mixture. Then you will place the cooking liquids into the roasting pan (or crock pot) and set the pork into the pan. Then pour the brining liquids over the top and cook the meat. I hope this helps! I tried to clear it up in the instructions too. Let me know if you have any more questions!
Brad
I totally agree with “J Rodriguez
MAY 27, 2019”. There is something completely off with this recipe. The brine doesn’t have near enough salt to balance it out and there is a funk to it that makes it completely unpalatable. Dumped the drippings but saved the pork. I think the garbage can will eat most of this meal. Not at all what I expected and a complete disappointment.
Kris
If I have a 9lb pork shoulder, would you recommend doubling the brine? Or do you think this amount would still work?
Sweet Basil
Hi Kris! Yes, I would probably double the brine recipe or maybe just one and a half it. I don’t think a single batch will cover a whole 9lb to brine it. Enjoy!
Colleen
I’m hoping to make this tomorrow. I am confused by the instructions stating to reserve the “marinade”. Then pour the marinade back over top. Is that the brine liquid you are referring to? So pour the lime juice, orange and chicken broth on the bottom, add the rubbed pork and pour the brine liquid (which you call marinade) back on top?
Thanks!
Sweet Basil
Hi Colleen! Yes, you’ve got it!
Gregory
I have a 9 pound pork shoulder, bone-in, picnic cut, that I wanted to try this recipe with. There wouldn’t really be an easy way to halve the roast, so would you say keep it at 225 and watch the internal temp, or use a higher oven temperature? Also, skin on or off? Thanks!!
Sweet Basil
Hi Gregory! Keep the temperature the same and keep an eye on the internal temperature. You will probably need about 13-14 hours to get to 200 degrees. Remove the skin! Enjoy!!
Lauren
This was by far the best thing I’ve ever made. Amazing recipe! You will not be disappointed. It was a labor of love, but the praise from everyone who ate it was overwhelming. Seriously, this rivals my favorite taco truck.
Sweet Basil
Thank you Lauren!! This seriously makes my day! It is definitely worth the time and effort!
Alison
What are the “roasting liquids” you refer to in the recipe? That is unclear
Sweet Basil
Hi Alison! They are liquids listed in the cooking section that you pour in the pan that you are roasting the pork in. It’s the orange juice, lime juice and chicken broth. Sorry for the confusion! Enjoy!
Alison
Thank you! I just put a little orange juice in the pan and it turned out fantastic! Will try this next time for sure
Sweet Basil
Yay! I’m glad it turned out! Thank you for the question!
Camille d.
Hi! Does the pork need to sit on top of a rack in the roasting pan? or does it sit on the bottom of the roasting pan, without any rack, directly in the juices?
Sweet Basil
Hi Camille! I cook mine in the roasting pan in the juices.
Deb Y
It won’t be done in time for dinner tonight. Can I put it in the fridge and let it come to room temp tomorrow? Crisp it tomorrow? Smells delicious.
Sweet Basil
Yeah absolutely!
Leah
Mmm this looks amazing! Thanks so much for bringing this to us. I have it in the brine now. My delivery company sent me a larger (5.5lb) bone in pork butt. Do you still recommend 10 hours in the slow cooker?
Sweet Basil
I would give it a little longer in the slow cooker. Check it after 10 hours, but it might need up to 12. Enjoy!
Cheryl Straight
Making this today! I’m letting the meat rest (used the crockpot for 8 hrs) but wondered if I keep it out on a plate or put in the fridge? Currently keeping out. Will them crisp on the stovetop. Hope they turn out good!!!
Sweet Basil
So sorry for the late reply! How did it turn out??
Samantha Burma
I have a 8lb roast. Should I cookie it hotter or longer? I’m making tomorrow for a pot luck… should I do the crock pot overnight instead of roasting in the oven?
Sweet Basil
Hi Samantha! I would probably cut the roast in half and then keep the cooking time the same. I hope this helps and that I’m not too late! I would still do it in the oven and not in the slow cooker.
The Sears
Made this today on a rainy Sunday. Used the crock pot (husband not interested in using the smoker in the rain). I thought it would be a mistake and I was wrong. DELICIOUS! Followed directions exactly – placed brined roast in the crock on low. It was falling apart at about the 7 1/2 hour mark so I took out and shredded. Then placed the shredded meat back in and added some of the reserved juice in there, and kept the meat In the crock pot until ready to crisp in the skillet. Served with pineapple coleslaw and picked red onions. Also served with homemade flour tortillas. Looking forward to leftovers this week.
Sweet Basil
Yum! That sounds like the perfect meal! So glad you enjoyed it!
Samantha Burma
I have a 8lb roast. Should I cookie it hotter or longer? I’m making tomorrow for a pot luck… should I do the crock pot overnight instead of roasting in the oven?
Lexi Devenport
Hi! I made these carnitas yesterday, and they were to die for. I’m so happy to have a good shredded pork recipe. The only thing is that the meat wasn’t quite as tender as I envisioned it was going to be, and I was hoping you could give me some insight on that. I followed the recipe exactly, except that I realized I didn’t have 12-14 hours, so I did 8 hours in the crockpot. At the end of the 8 hours, I made sure the meat was at 200 degrees. Why wasn’t it super tender (some parts were, others were a little hard to shred)? Was it the meat quality? Or because I did it in the crockpot instead of the oven? Or cooking too long or too short?
I find so much joy in cooking, and you are one of my all-time favorite food bloggers. You always provide so much great information about cooking in your blog–I am legitimately becoming a better cook when I read your posts. Thank you!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Lexi for the support and feedback!
Ok a few things…did you brine it before cooking it? 8 hours in the crockpot was the perfect amount of time, so it shouldn’t be the cooking method. Did you let it rest after cooking? Was your meat bone-in?
Lexi Devenport
Yes, I brined it overnight, let it rest afternoon cooking, and it was bone in. 🤷
Sweet Basil
I’m so sorry! I’m not sure what happened!
Jennifer Peterson
Hi there! I’m cooking carnitas for the first time and decided on your recipe, it looks amazing and I started the brine tonight. I was hoping you could give me a tip on speeding up the cook time a little, hopefully somewhere within 6-8 hours. I am using a boneless 4 pounder and would still like to slow cook it but I was looking to use my Dutch oven and crank up the heat a bit. Any suggestions on a higher temperature and time? Thanks so much!
Sweet Basil
Hey Jennifer! You could do 8 hours in a slow cooker on low and it should still fall apart and be delicious!
Cheryl Straight
Making these today! Smells amazing! Question though, do you have the meat rest out or in the fridge? Cannot wait to eat this tonight!
Sweet Basil
It should rest just out on the counter. Enjoy!
Cesar Hunt
Hi guys,
I’m planing to make this recipe this weekend. So I wanted to reach and get your opinion about using a pressure cooker.
We have a family recipes for barbacoa that we make in the pressure cooker. We normally do about 1.5hrs at constant high heat. We normally do large chunks of boneless meat; combo of fatty meat and lean. So I couldn’t tell you the total weight.
Do you think the recipe will work with the pressure cooker? If so, about how much time do you think will Be enough? For a 3-4lb shoulder.
I don’t mind doing the recipe in the oven or slow cooker. But I figured I’d ask about the pressure cooker if it saved me some time.
Thanks, looking forward to your response.
Sweet Basil
Hey Cesar! We have a pressure cooker version on the blog. Let me know if this answers your questions!
https://ohsweetbasil.com/crazy-good-instant-pot-pork-carnitas-video-recipe/
Diane Croft
I am planning on putting this in the slow cooker tomorrow (in brine tonight). Should the meat be dry when it is in the slow cooker?
Sweet Basil
You will want to dry it off after you take it out of the brine and then add the dry rub to it. Place it in the slow cooker and then add the mixture of orange juice, lime juice and chicken broth to the slow cooker around the bottom of the pork butt. Don’t pour it on top of the pork so you don’t wash off the dry rub. Does that make sense? Enjoy!
Karen
Any tips for time and setting to convert for slow-cooker
Sweet Basil
Absolutely! I’ll add a section in the post. Such a great question! Do the exact same process and cook on low in the slow cooker for 8-10 hours. You will still want to crisp them up in on the stove top at the end. enjoy!
J Rodriguez
I’m sorry, but this pork did not have a good flavor. It was actually quite bizarre. I tasted the rub prior to using it and it was delicious and it smelled wonderful while it was cooking. I’m thinking maybe the brine is the reason for the bad taste after the pork had cooked. I had made this for a family dinner and it tasted so bad that we had to order a pizza instead. I’m Cuban and have made many pork butts in my life. I was in the mood to try a different recipe, however this one, unfortunately is not a good one. I really wanted to love this but something is very wrong with this recipe.
Sweet Basil
Did you drain the brine before cooking it? There’s no way it had a bad flavor if you followed the brine recipe and cooking instructions correctly. It is so tasty!
Brad
Completely agree with J Rodriguez on this one.
Sweet Basil
Hi Brad! I’m not sure what is going wrong here. I just made this recipe a couple of months ago and it was delicious!!
Faith Morris
Hi!
I have been cooking for over 30 years and I LOVE your recipes. I have never made carnitas at home before and my husband and I are excited to try this recipe. It is cooking in the oven as we speak. As this is my first time making this I am a little unsure if things are going correctly! I would love your feedback when convenient.
Two questions:
1. Should the roast be covered?
2. I was unsure if the roast should sit above the liquid (on a rack) while in the pan. I ended up using my turkey roasting pan with a small rack to keep above the liquid. I have had to refill liquid twice after 6 hours of cooking because it had evaporated and burned slightly.
Thank you!!!
Sweet Basil
Hi Faith! Great questions! I’m probably too late now, but I hope they turned out well. For the next time you make them, it should be uncovered and it can sit right in the juices in the roasting pan.
Serena
I didn’t see the note about using bone-in bs boneless pork, is there much difference in prepping/cooking them?
Sweet Basil
Dang, our notes keep disappearing on us! Ugh! I’ll add it back in. thank you Serena! he only difference is that it will probably be done sooner so keep your eye on it!
Stephanie
Going to have to try this! Curious about the crisping process as well. Also there’s a bit of discrepancy between the instructions up top and in the actual recipe. Is the cooking temperature 200 or 225 degrees? And I’m assuming the meat is done when it reaches 145 degrees like you say above and not 200 degrees as stated in the recipe?
Sweet Basil
Hey Stephanie! Sorry for the confusion! The internal temp should be 200…that is when it is ready to be shredded. We have updated the instruction to clear up the crisping process too! Thank you for the feedback so we could get that all clarified!
Denise P
I love Carnitas but have never made it at home. Your list of ingredients calls for oil for final crisping but your instructions don’t mention a final crisping. Also, unless one gets up at 2am to put this in the oven, it won’t be ready for dinner. Do you think the meat could be refrigerated and then before serving have the final crisping, which would also reheat it? Looking forward to trying this.
Amy
I also wondered about the oil mentioned as “final crisping”.
Sweet Basil
Hey Amy! We have updated the instructions to clarify this! Let us know if you have any further questions! Thank you for letting us know!
Sweet Basil
Hey Denise! We usually throw the pork into the oven right before going to bed at night…like at 11pm or so. Then if it cooks for 12-14 hours, rests for 2 and then you do the final crisping, it’s ready right in time for dinner. You’re going to love these carnitas! We have updated the instructions to clarify the final crisping too!