No matter how you top these Melt in your mouth, Pork Carnitas are perfect for the whole family!
Crispy Pork Carnitas that melt in your mouth are easy to make—allowing them to go low and slow with the perfect blend of spices and the right amount of citrus until the pork becomes tender and juicy and quickly falls apart. When the pork is crisped on the outside, it amplifies the flavors and makes it that much more delicious no matter if you are eating it in grain-free tortillas, in a lettuce wrap, or over the perfect burrito bowl!
The Best Pork for Carnitas
The best meat for Carnitas is a pork shoulder roast. This cut of meat is more marbled with fat and often thought of as tough yet a cheap cut of meat. However, when you allow the meat to go low and slow, it becomes fall-apart tender as the fat dissolves and the flavor intensifies.
How to Make Carnitas
While this recipe couldn’t be easier to make, it does require some thought as the timing does take a while since it needs to go low and slow. I am here to say the wait is totally worth it in the end.
Ingredients in Pork Carnitas
- Citrus
- Spices
- Pork Shoulder Roast
Cooking Methods
- Crock-pot
- Dutch Oven (my preferred method)
To Crisp
- Broil - Spread the shredded pork in an even layer on a baking sheet and broil until the edges of the meat start to become crispy. If you want less crisp, do it for less time and longer if you want it more crispy. It’s totally up to how you like it.
- Stove - Don’t want to use your oven? Add a little bit of avocado oil to a hot pan with the shredded pork. Allow the meat to cook (without stirring) until the meat is browned on one side, flip and allow the other side to crisp.
- Air Fryer - If you have an air fryer, you can crisp the shredded pork in it for about 6-8 min at about 400 degrees.
Serving Carnitas
I like to serve my Carnitas in some of my favorite Siete grain-free tortillas. I always like to make some sautéed onions, sliced jalapeños, cilantro, and fresh lime. When I want to be extra, I will whip up a batch of my Classic Guacamole.
You can get a little wilder to your toppings if you want, but I like to keep it simple, but feel free to add whatever your favorites are.
Keeping it low carb/ Keto / Whole30, serve it some lettuce wraps. I promise the flavor of the meat will still be as delicious!
As for sides, I like to keep them light to let the Carnitas shine. I will usually keep it simple some black refried beans and some cilantro lime cauliflower rice (recipe in book).
More Taco Tuesday Favorites
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Grain-Free Churros (because hello dessert is delicious)
- Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Easy Grain-Free Taquitos
- Spicy Citrus Ginger Beer Margarita
- Gluten-free Pulled Pork
📖 Recipe
Melt In Your Mouth Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb Pork Shoulder Roast
- 2 TBS Avocado Oil
- 1 Small Yellow Onion Onion Sliced
- 1 Large Onion
- 2 Limes Sliced
- 1 Lemon Sliced
- 1 C Chicken Stock
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 TBS Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 Bay Leaf
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the pork shoulder into chunks, about 2-3 inches in size, and place them in a bowl.
- Carefully peel the citrus rinds, do not get the whites from the fruit, and add it to the bowl with the pork.
- Chop the onion into quarters and add it to the pork.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining chicken broth and spices, and mix till combined.
- Toss the spice mixture into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and stir to coat.
- Transfer the pork mixture to either a crock-pot or a dutch oven. If cooking the meat in a crock-pot, let it go on high for 4-6 hours or on low about 8 hours. If you are using a dutch oven, let it go at 325 degrees for about 6 hours.
- When the pork is done, shred it and transfer it to either a baking sheet, pan or an air fryer to crisp.
- Spoon the leftover juices over the pork, if desired.
- Serve along with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
- Broil – Spread the shredded pork in an even layer on a baking sheet and broil until the edges of the meat start to become crispy. If you want less crisp, do it for less time and longer if you want it more crispy. It’s totally up to how you like it.
- Stove – Don’t want to use your oven? Add a little bit of avocado oil to a hot pan with the shredded pork. Allow the meat to cook (without stirring) until the meat is browned on one side, flip and allow the other side to crisp.
- Air Fryer – If you have an air fryer, you can crisp the shredded pork in it for about 6-8 min at about 400 degrees.
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