Authentic Slow-Braised Carnitas

Name: Authentic Slow-Braised Carnitas
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 200 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 kg pork shoulder, cut into 5 cm chunks; 1 tbsp kosher salt; 2 tsp cumin; 2 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 1 each orange, halved; 1 each lime, halved; 1 each yellow onion, quartered; 6 each garlic, smashed; 2 tbsp chipotle in adobo, minced; 2 each bay leaf; 500 ml chicken stock; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 16 each corn tortillas, warmed

Tender, juicy pork shoulder slowly braised with citrus and warm spices until fall-apart, then crisped under the broiler for irresistible texture. Perfect for tacos, burritos, or nachos.

⏱ 20 min prep · 180 min cook · medium

Servings

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Ingredients

2 kg pork shoulder cut into 5 cm chunks
15 ml kosher salt
10 ml cumin
10 ml dried oregano
5 ml black pepper freshly ground
1 orange halved
1 lime halved
1 yellow onion quartered
6 garlic smashed
30 ml chipotle in adobo minced
2 bay leaf
500 ml chicken stock
30 ml vegetable oil
16 corn tortillas warmed

Nutritionper serving (8 total: 4830 kcal)

Calories	600
Protein	46g
Fat	33g
Carbs	29g
Fiber	4g
Sugar	3g
Sodium	1230mg

Excludes 1 ingredient without data.

Gear for this recipe

Method

1
In a large bowl, combine pork shoulder pieces with salt, cumin, oregano, and black pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
2
Searing
Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the pork on all sides until deeply browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer seared pork to a plate.
⏲ 3 min
3
Sautéing
Add onion, garlic, and chipotle to the pot. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
⏲ 3 min
4
Simmering
Return pork to the pot. Squeeze the orange and lime halves over the pork, then add the spent halves, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer.
5
Braising
Cover and reduce heat to low. Braise gently until pork is fork-tender and easily shreds, about 2.5 to 3 hours. Check occasionally and add water if needed to keep pork mostly submerged.
⏲ 150 min
6
Remove pork from the liquid and shred into coarse pieces. Discard bay leaves, citrus halves, and any large fat pieces.
7
Broiling
Spread shredded pork in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil for 5-7 minutes until edges are crispy and browned, stirring once halfway.
⏲ 7 min
8
Serve hot with warm corn tortillas and your favorite toppings like salsa, cilantro, and lime wedges.