Roasting Pork Carnitas
This is a dish built on patience. By keeping the aromatics simple and allowing the pork to confit in the oven, you end up with a texture that shifts from buttery to brittle in every bite.
Commit to the sear
The oven does the heavy lifting for tenderness, but the final crisping step is what defines the dish. Do not skip the blast of heat at the end.
- Heavy-bottomed Dutch oven with a lid
- Tongs
- Sheet pan
- Fork
What goes in.
- 4 lbpork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 tbspkosher salt
- 1 tspdried oregano
- 1orange, halved
- 1yellow onion, quartered
- 4cloves garlic, smashed
- 2bay leaves
Low and slow in fat
By cooking the pork shoulder in a covered pot with its own rendered fat and aromatics, the meat essentially poaches until the collagen dissolves. This creates a silkier finish than boiling or braising in water.
The method.
Preheat and season
Heat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Toss the pork chunks with salt and oregano in the Dutch oven.
Add aromatics
Tuck the orange halves, onion quarters, smashed garlic, and bay leaves among the meat. Cover with a heavy lid.
Bake
Roast for 3.5 to 4 hours. The pork is done when a fork slides into the center of a chunk with zero resistance and the meat wants to fall apart on its own.
Shred and sear
Remove the meat chunks to a sheet pan, discarding the aromatics and excess liquid. Roughly shred the pork with two forks. Turn your oven to high broil. Place the pan under the heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring once, until the tips of the shredded pork turn dark brown and crispy.
Other turns to take.
Spiced Finish
Toss the shredded meat with a teaspoon of ground cumin and smoked paprika before putting it under the broiler.
Lard-fried
If your pork shoulder is very lean, add half a cup of rendered lard to the Dutch oven before baking to ensure enough fat for the confit process.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Save the strained cooking fat; it is liquid gold for frying eggs or roasting potatoes.
Do not crowd the sheet pan when broiling; if the meat is piled too high, it will steam instead of crisp.
If the pork is sticking to the bottom of the Dutch oven, add a splash of water, but keep it minimal to avoid boiling the meat.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why use orange peel?
The oils in the orange peel cut through the heavy richness of the pork fat, providing a bright top note that balances the salt.
Can I do this in a slow cooker?
Yes, use the same temperature settings or the low setting for 8 hours. However, you must move the meat to a sheet pan and broil it to get the required texture.
How real cooks make it.
No one’s shared their version yet. Be the first to put your kitchen on the map.
Cook this your way?
Share your version — your steps, your story. We’ll feature it right here.
Add your recipe