Slow-Cooked Pork Carnitas
This is a method of patience. You aren't just cooking meat; you are rendering fat to create a confit-like environment that transforms a tough cut of shoulder into something that falls apart at the touch of a fork.
Patience is your primary ingredient
Do not rush the braising stage. If the meat isn't pulling apart easily with a fork, it needs more time in the pot.
- Dutch oven with heavy lid
- Large tongs
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Two forks for shredding
What goes in.
- 4 lbpork shoulder (butt), cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 tbspkosher salt
- 1 tspdried oregano
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1large white onion, quartered
- 4cloves garlic, smashed
- 1orange, halved and squeezed
- 2bay leaves
Broiler Crisp
The secret to the texture is spreading the shredded pork on a baking sheet and hitting it with high heat. You want the edges of the meat to turn dark mahogany and brittle while the center remains moist.
The method.
Season the pork
Toss the pork chunks in a bowl with salt, oregano, and cumin until evenly coated.
Load the Dutch oven
Place the pork in the pot. Nestle the onion quarters, garlic, and bay leaves around the meat. Squeeze the orange juice over the top and tuck the spent orange rinds into the pot.
Braise
Cover the pot tightly and set the oven to 300°F (150°C). Cook for 3 to 3.5 hours until the meat yields to the slightest pressure.
Shred
Remove the meat chunks to a baking sheet. Discard the orange rinds, onion, and bay leaves. Use two forks to shred the pork into bite-sized pieces, pulling away any large chunks of pure fat.
Crisp
Drizzle a small amount of the rendered fat from the pot over the shredded pork. Place the sheet under the broiler for 5 to 8 minutes, watching closely until the edges brown.
Other turns to take.
Spicy Kick
Add two dried guajillo or pasilla chiles to the pot before braising for a deeper, earthier heat.
Cinnamon Note
Toss a single small stick of cinnamon into the pot during the braise for a subtle, aromatic warmth.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Save the remaining cooking liquid; it is packed with intense flavor and can be drizzled over the meat before serving.
Do not trim the fat off the pork before cooking; that fat is essential to the moisture and texture of the final dish.
If you don't have a Dutch oven, a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid works just as well.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use a slow cooker instead?
Yes. Follow the same steps, but cook on low for 7-8 hours. You will still need to finish the meat under the broiler to get the crispy texture.
What if the meat is dry?
You likely cooked it at too high a temperature or didn't allow enough fat to render. Add a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid back into the meat before crisping to rehydrate.
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