Carnitas (slow cooked pork)
Tender, citrusy pork shoulder braised until it falls apart, then crisped in the oven until the edges turn golden and crunchy.
Make this once, then cook it into 48 different dishes.
- Time3 hr 45
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.08 a head
- Makesabout 900 g cooked pork, enough for 2 batches of tacos for 4
- Oven160°C (140°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Toss the pork with the salt, cumin, oregano and pepper in a large bowl so every piece is coated.
- 2
Melt the lard in a large ovenproof casserole over a medium high heat. Brown the pork in two batches for 6 to 8 minutes per batch, until deep golden in patches. Do not crowd the pan or it will steam.
8 min - 3
Return all the pork to the pot. Add the orange juice and the squeezed orange halves, lime juice, onion, garlic, bay leaves and water. Bring to a simmer, cover with a tight lid and move to the oven.
- 4
Cook for 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours, stirring once halfway, until a chunk collapses when pressed with a spoon. It must be well beyond the safe 63°C and very tender.
150 min - 5
Lift the pork out with a slotted spoon. Discard the orange halves, onion and bay. Skim the fat from the juices and keep 4 tbsp of it. Boil the juices hard for about 10 minutes until reduced to roughly 150 ml and slightly syrupy.
10 min - 6
Shred the pork into chunky 2 to 3 cm pieces with two forks and stir through the reduced juices. Taste and add salt or a squeeze of lime if needed.
- 7
To crisp, heat the oven to 230°C (210°C fan). Spread the pork on a lined baking tray in one layer and drizzle with the reserved fat. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until the edges are dark golden and crunchy.
18 min 20 s
About carnitas (slow cooked pork)
Carnitas is slow cooked pork, literally "little meats", simmered until it is spoon tender and then crisped so that it has soft juicy centres and crunchy browned edges. The flavour is rich and porky with a background of orange, lime, garlic and oregano, and it is not spicy.
The dish is most associated with Michoacán, where pork is traditionally cooked in a big copper pot of lard. This oven method gives a very similar result with far less fat and no special equipment, as long as you use a fatty cut such as boneless shoulder. Lean pork goes dry and stringy.
Use the pork in tacos, burritos, tortas, tostadas, quesadillas, rice bowls and nachos. The crisping step at the end matters: it turns ordinary pulled pork into carnitas.
Tips
- Buy boneless pork shoulder with a good layer of fat. Leaner cuts like loin dry out. For extra richness swap 300 g of the shoulder for pork belly.
- Shred into chunky pieces rather than fine strands. The larger pieces crisp better and stay juicy inside.
- Reduce the cooking juices before you stir them back in. This concentrates the flavour and stops the pork steaming rather than crisping.
- No oven time? Use a slow cooker on low for 8 hours after browning, then reduce the juices on the hob and crisp the pork in a hot frying pan or under the grill.
- Crisp only the amount you are serving. Keep the rest soft in its juices, because carnitas reheated and recrisped in batches tastes freshest.
Storing and freezing
Cool the pork quickly, spreading it on a tray, and refrigerate within 1 to 2 hours. Keeps for up to 4 days covered in the fridge with a few spoonfuls of juices, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot all the way through, then crisp.
Dishes you can make with carnitas (slow cooked pork)
Torta Ahogada (Guadalajara Drowned Pork Sandwich)
NFTacos de Carnitas con Salsa Verde (Crispy Pork Tacos)
DFEFNFTacos de Carnitas (Crisp Pulled Pork Tacos)
DFEFNFTortas Ahogadas de Carnitas (Drowned Pork Sandwiches)
DFEFNFTacos de Carnitas con Cebolla Encurtida (Carnitas Tacos)
DFEFNFEnchiladas Rojas de Carnitas con Crema de Lima (Pork Enchiladas)
EFNFEnchiladas Verdes de Carnitas (Green Pork Enchiladas)
EFNFTorta Ahogada de Carnitas (Drowned Pork Sandwich)
EFNFDFSopa de Tortilla con Carnitas (Carnitas Tortilla Soup)
DFEFNFTacos de Carnitas con Cebolla Encurtida (Crisp Pork Tacos)
DFEFNFEnchiladas Rojas de Carnitas (Red Pork Enchiladas)
EFNFChimichangas de Carnitas con Salsa Verde (Crispy Pork Chimichangas)
EFNFQuestions
What is the best cut of pork for carnitas?
Boneless pork shoulder (sometimes sold as hand or collar) with plenty of fat. It breaks down into tender strands and keeps moist. Lean cuts such as loin or fillet turn dry and stringy.
How do I make carnitas crispy?
Spread the shredded pork on a hot baking tray with a little of the reserved fat and roast at a high heat for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once. A very hot frying pan also works for small batches.
Can I make carnitas in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the pork, then cook on low for 8 hours with the juice and aromatics. Reduce the liquid in a pan afterwards, shred the pork and crisp it in the oven or a hot frying pan.
Is carnitas spicy?
No, traditional carnitas is savoury and citrusy rather than hot. The heat comes from the salsa you serve with it, such as salsa verde or a chilli salsa.
Is it gluten free and dairy free?
Yes. As written, with lard or sunflower oil, it contains no gluten, dairy, egg or nuts. It is also very low in carbohydrate before you add tortillas. Check any pre-mixed spices you swap in.
Why add orange to carnitas?
The juice adds acidity and a little natural sweetness that helps the pork brown and cuts the richness. Some cooks add a splash of milk or cola to the pot for the same reason, but it is not needed.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.