It’s hard to believe I went until 22 without carnitas. They are now one of our favorite little indulgences and it’s one of those recipes that you can make and then use for multiple nights for multiple dishes!! Who’s gonna say no to that?
The pork shoulder gently cooks for 3 hours and when it’s done, it literally melts in your mouth. Insanely tender and even more delicious with the addition of a little guacamole, it makes for a 100% satisfying meal. Add a skinny margarita and you couldn’t pay me enough to share!
You could use this carnitas recipe and throw it into tacos, nachos, quesadillas, or any other application you deem fit. You honestly couldn’t go wrong!
Slow Roasted Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup fresh Orange Juice
- 1/4 cup fresh Lime Juice
- 10 oz chipotle salsa
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Place the pork in a large dutch oven with the orange juice, lime juice, salsa and salt. Add enough water to barely cover the meat. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and simmer with the lid on for 2 hours, at which point the pork should be falling apart to the touch.
- Turn the heat up to medium high, and continue to cook the pork for 45 minutes, uncovered, stirring every once in a while, until all the liquid has evaporated and the pork fat as been rendered.
- Parts of the pork should be caramelized and golden brown. Remove the dutch oven from the stove and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately or let cool and store in an airtight container for 4 days in the fridge
For another great comforting pork recipe, check out my Pulled Pork Sliders
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe by What’s Gaby Cooking
I am a huge carnitas fan because I love all things pork. My mouth is watering just thinking of it.
I know right?!?!? Its the new love of my life.
This sounds fabulous! I actually have a similar recipe on my menu this week!
I’ll bring the pico de gallo!
Oh my gosh, YES. This is like a mix of my two favorite meals – pulled pork and soft tacos. Sign me up! These look so good, Gaby. Thanks for the awesome, tasty dinner idea.
anytime!!!! Or just come on over and help me eat the rest of my leftovers 🙂
I’ve never had carnitas before! But I love pork, so I can’t wait to try these.
omg Megan! They will change your life. they are hands down my favorite main course ever!
I made these (twice now!) and just posted them on my blog. Thanks so much for a wonderful recipe 🙂 We absolutely loved them.
yum, i love carnitas. i had no idea they were so easy to make! yours look great.
totally easy to make!! Just throw it all in a pot and you are good to go!!!
And now I just need your guac recipe too! 🙂 Great job!
It’s funny how these great dishes sneak up on you and change your life. Lucky for you, you have many more 24 years ahead of you to eat all the carnitas you can wrap your mouth around. xoxoxo
next time I make some you and coming over for dinner!
Wait, wait, wait… 24 years? You are 24? Such a young thing!
These look fantastic!
I’m SHOCKED this is your first carnitas experience. Hopefully not the last.
I like anything with guacamole!
I definitely need to try this! I’m always on the hunt for yum carnita recipes! Thanks!
I made this for Halloween night – it will be the new tradition that replaces the old Halloween chili. SOOOOO good!!
I made these yesterday and oh my goodness, they are WONDERFUL! Seriously amazing. We had friends over and you wouldn’t believe how much pork we ate 🙂 Definitely a big hit. I made them with King Arthur Flour’s soft wrap bread as the tortillas and the combination was incredible. Plus I made your guacamole!
One question though – cubing the pork was incredibly difficult for some reason. Is there any way to do it faster? Could I get boneless pork? I had the hardest time getting the pork off the bone when cutting it.
Ask your butcher to cut it off the bone for you. So much easier!
Also my favorite carnitas recipe if from David Lebovitz. Check out his website.. This one is even simpler, so I’ll have to try it to!
I made this this weekend and it turned out great. Last night I used some of the leftovers to make naked burrito bowls with rice, black beans, cheese and guacamole. Very Good!
Gaby, Your recipes sound wonderful, and your photography is gorgeous. I enjoy reading and viewing them. Thank you!
How many servings and does this make? And the serving size? (Approximate is fine!)
Just made these. They are AMAZING Gaby! I ended up making them on an open face corn tortilla. so good and easy!
Just made this for dinner last night – it were perfect for tacos! I actually used a crockpot but it worked out great!
yay!! so glad you liked it! carnitas are the best
oh yum! I can’t believe that I’ve never had carnitas – gonna have to change that 🙂
OMG this is amazing, I love what a simple recipe this is, too! I will definitely be trying this in the crock pot asap!
Mmmmm this looks good. Jorge and I love carnitas. I need to make this for him 🙂 Seems so easy!
Have you ever made them in the crock pot??
These look amazing, Gaby! I’m craving these!!!
Plan to make this this weekend. Any recommendations on chipotle salsa? Sacrilege I know, but bottled would be easier, unless I can add chipotle sauce to salsa. 🙂
I use the one from trader joes! Or the one on my website https://dev.afterhoursagency.com/wgc/homemade-salsa/
Will definately try this! Sounds and looks so good! Yum
One of my favorite meals. The meat looks fantastic with all those crispy bits.
ooooh yeah! amazing!
pork carnitas are sooo delicious! this looks like an incredibly easy and tasty recipe
Carnitas are such a favorite of mine at restaurants…don’t know why I’ve never made them. Need to make your delicious sounding recipe!! Looks so yummy!
This is everything.
Carnitas is one of our favorite meals around here. I love making it for a group, so fun. Your version looks excellent – love that OJ!
What a fantastic (and simple) recipe! Sounds amazing and I love how easy it is!
This looks great! I’m having a nacho bar party and wondering if it would be possible to keep the carnitas warm in a crock pot? If so, do you have any tips for how to do that (liquids to add incase extra moisture is needed?) I’m also wondering if it would be possible to keep the nacho cheese sauce warm in a crock pot? Thanks!
nacho cheese sauce in a crock pot = 100%
carnitas – yes you can keep them warm in the crock pot too! Just dump the entire tray of carnitas after you broil them into a crock pot and keep it on low!
Do you think I could initially cook this in the crock pot then broil to get crunchy before serving? If yes, what temp and how long? Should I adjust fluids?
Thank you!
yes I totally think you could do that but I haven’t done it before so I can’t say how you should alter times with exact certainty. My initial instinct would be 8-10 hours on low. or 4-5 hours on high and keeping the liquids the same. LMK what you end up doing as I’m sure other people are curious!! Thanks 🙂
I never comment on recipes but this one is worth commenting on! I made this last night for 20 people I doubled the recipe and they were amazing!!! I was hoping to have leftovers but no such luck. I have passed this recipe on to others and will most definitely be making it again!
yay!! Thank you Lynn!
Made this today and it was AWESOME! I did sort of change one thing. I added a small can of chipotles with the sauce into the citrus juice, then blended it with a blending stick instead of using chipotle salsa. Then poured it over the meat and cooked as directed. I served it on corn tortillas with Yucatán style hot pink onions with habanero chiles and chopped cilantro. YUMMMM!!!!!!
Hi Gaby,
I’m a huge fan of carnitas but have never “attempted” lol …to make .
This recipe looks super easy !! But, I’m curious what you refer to with the Chipotle salsa.?
I’ve only bought Chipotle peppers in the can.
I have my own brand of chipotle salsa you can buy at williams sonoma. Otherwise any other thin red salsa will work!! I like the ones that are flavored with chipotle. It’s usually a fresh salsa so it would be in the refrigerated section of the market!
Delicious. I made for my daughter’s 13th birthday party and we did a nacho bar. Everyone loved it. Will definitely make it again. I used Guy Fieri’s chipotle salsa.
Hi Gaby!
Can this be made in a slow cooker? Have you cooked it this way before? I don’t have a dutch oven.
Yes – you could do it in a slow cooker just broil it on a sheet pan once it comes out to get it crispy on the edges!
These carnitas were so easy and delicious! My husband and and I loved them. So yummy! We’ll definitely be making them again and again. Thank you!
Literally one of the best things I’ve ever eaten !!
Nailed it, as per usual, WGC !!!