Description
A simple oven-roasted pork carnitas recipe that yields tender, juicy pulled pork with crispy edges, perfect for tacos, burrito bowls, and more.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 pounds pork shoulder (pork butt)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- Optional: whole cloves, cinnamon stick, honey or brown sugar, chipotle chili powder or diced chipotle pepper in adobo
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder, leaving some fat for juiciness.
- In a small bowl, mix olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Rub the spice mixture all over the pork, ensuring it is well coated.
- Place sliced onions and bay leaves at the bottom of a roasting pan or Dutch oven, then set the pork on top.
- Pour any leftover marinade over the pork.
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Cover the pan with a lid or foil and roast the pork for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the internal temperature reaches about 195°F (90°C) and the meat is tender enough to shred.
- Remove pork from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Shred the pork using two forks or tongs, mixing it with the onions and juices in the pan.
- Spread shredded pork in an even layer and broil on high for 5-7 minutes until edges crisp and brown. Toss or flip and broil another 5-7 minutes for crispy texture.
- Serve with warm tortillas, fresh cilantro, diced onions, lime wedges, and your favorite salsa.
Notes
[‘Marinate pork overnight for deeper flavor if time allows.’, ‘Let pork rest after roasting to redistribute juices.’, ‘Keep pork a few inches from broiler to crisp without burning.’, ‘Use a meat thermometer to ensure pork reaches 195°F (90°C) for shredding.’, ‘Leftover carnitas can be frozen for up to 3 months and reheated gently.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1/6 of
- Calories: 380
- Sodium: 720
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 3
- Protein: 35
Keywords: pork carnitas, oven pork carnitas, pulled pork, easy pork recipe, Mexican pulled pork, carnitas recipe, slow roasted pork