If you want authentic Mexican street food flavors made in a home kitchen, these pork carnitas deliver. Tender, slow-cooked pork with crisp, caramelized edges brings the restaurant taste to your table without leaving your house.
The pork develops a beautifully crisp exterior while remaining juicy and richly seasoned inside.
Taco night is a weekly favorite in many homes for a reason: the balance of meat, tortillas, and toppings in a single delicious, messy bite. If your household celebrates Taco Tuesday or enjoys regular taco nights, this carnitas recipe is a must-try. It’s one of the best versions you’ll make at home.
What Are Pork Carnitas?
Pork carnitas are a Mexican classic made from slow-cooked, shredded pork served in tacos or other dishes with traditional toppings. The most common cut is pork shoulder (also called Boston butt), cooked until it falls apart. Methods vary—braised in the oven, cooked in a slow cooker, pressure-cooked, or smoked—but the goal is the same: tender meat that’s shredded and finished to create crisp, flavorful pieces. Add tortillas and your favorite garnishes, and you have irresistible carnitas ready to enjoy.
Ingredients for Pork Tacos
Simple ingredients combine to create big flavor:
- Boneless pork butt (about 3½–4 lbs)
- Water (enough to barely cover the meat)
- Onion, peeled and halved
- Fresh lime juice
- Dried oregano, ground cumin, salt, and pepper
- Bay leaves
- Orange (juice and the spent halves for braising)
- Tortillas (fajita-sized or large corn tortillas)
- Toppings: minced red onion, fresh cilantro, thinly sliced radishes, pico de gallo, sour cream, and lime wedges
Other popular extras include adobo sauce, cheese, hot sauce, pickled jalapeños, or black beans.
How to Make Pork Carnitas
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and position a rack in the lower-middle slot.
- In a Dutch oven, combine the pork, halved onion, lime juice, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Add just enough water to barely cover the meat.
- Squeeze the orange juice over the pork and toss the used orange halves into the pot for extra flavor.
- Bring the pot to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover and transfer to the oven.
- Cook for about 2 hours, flipping the meat once halfway through, until it shreds easily with two forks.
- Remove the pork from the braising liquid and discard the onion, bay leaves, and orange halves. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Place the braising liquid back on the stovetop over high heat and reduce it, stirring occasionally, until it becomes thick and syrupy—about 8–12 minutes. Be careful, as it will bubble while reducing.
- Preheat the oven’s broiler. Toss the shredded pork with the reduced syrup, spread it in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet, and broil on a lower rack for 5–8 minutes until the edges crisp without charring.
- Carefully flip the meat and broil another 5–8 minutes to crisp the other side.
- Serve the carnitas hot with warmed tortillas and your favorite toppings.
Recipe Tips
Sear in the braising liquid
- Rather than a dry rub, cooking the pork in flavorful juices lets the meat absorb seasoning as it simmers.
Choose a Boston butt
- A boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt) has the right balance of fat and connective tissue to yield tender, flavorful carnitas.
Sides to Serve with Mexican Pulled Pork
Great side dishes for carnitas include guacamole, coleslaw, seasoned rice, chips and salsa, black beans, or a potato salad. Carnitas are also perfect in rice bowls or on top of salads for meal prep.
If you enjoy Mexican-style recipes, try other favorites like birria, quesabirria tacos, barbacoa, or chorizo tacos. These dishes also make excellent leftovers and keep well for the week.
Storing and Reheating Shredded Pork
Store leftover carnitas and toppings separately in airtight containers. Reheat the pork in the microwave or warm it on a baking sheet in the oven until heated through. Then assemble tacos or bowls with fresh toppings.
Recipe FAQs
The pork is done when it can be easily shredded with a fork. The total oven braise takes about 2 hours for tender carnitas.
Yes. In a pressure cooker, cook the pork for about 45–60 minutes once up to pressure, then allow a full release. The Instant Pot is faster but the low-and-slow oven method develops slightly deeper flavor.
More Mexican Recipes
Beef Recipes
Beef Birria Recipe
Recipes With Pork
Easy Ground Pork Tacos
Breakfast Recipes
Smoked Chicken Chilaquiles
Dinner Recipes
Enchiladas Zacatecanas
This straightforward carnitas recipe is a great way to start serving Mexican food the traditional way. The slow-cooked, shredded pork finished under the broiler creates a perfect contrast of tender meat and crispy edges. If you try the recipe, please rate it and leave a comment to help others.
Carnitas: Mexican Pulled Pork
Recommended Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3½–4 lbs boneless pork butt, trimmed and cut into 2 pieces
- 2 cups water (more or less)
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 orange, halved
- Tortillas
- Toppings: minced red onion, cilantro, radishes, pico de gallo, sour cream, lime wedges
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Place the pork in a Dutch oven with the onion, lime juice, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. Add water to barely cover the meat.
- Squeeze the orange juice into the pot and add the orange halves.
- Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, cover, and transfer to the oven.
- Cook for about 2 hours until the meat shreds easily with two forks, flipping once halfway through.
- Remove the pork and discard the onion, bay leaves, and orange halves. Shred the meat.
- Simmer the braising liquid over high heat, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to a thick, syrupy consistency (about 8–12 minutes). Use caution—the liquid can bubble aggressively.
- Set the oven to broil.
- Toss the shredded pork with the reduced syrup and spread in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Broil on the lower-middle rack for 5–8 minutes until the edges crisp, then carefully flip and broil another 5–8 minutes.
- Serve with warm tortillas and desired toppings.