Pork Carnitas are pieces of pork meat slow-cooked in copper cauldrons in an open fire. Usually, most parts of the pork will be used, some will be cooked until tender, juicy and golden outside and other parts of the pork will be cooked until very crispy like chicharrones (pork skin).
Pork Carnitas Recipe
To cook pork carnitas at home is a very easy task. There are lots of recipes that use herbs, and some of them even add milk or orange rind. And, of course, they can be added. But, as a friend of mine from Quiroga, Michoacán (a small town famous for its carnitas) told me some time ago: “People here just add salt, lard, and the pork meat”. Those pork carnitas are one of best!
This dish is best eaten when still warm over corn tortillas and a spicy or mild salsa.
How to make Pork Carnitas Recipe
DIRECTIONS:
In a large Dutch oven or Cast Iron Pot
place the pork, lard, water, garlic, and salt. Cook covered on a medium heat to a boil. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Uncover and turn the heat to medium-high to reduce the liquid.The meat will start frying in its own fat and lard at this point. Carefully brown the meat at medium-low heat stirring frequently until pork is evenly browned.
When you have another thing to do here is my oven baked pork carnitas.
- Place the meat, 1/4 cup lard, 1 cup of water and 1 Tablespoon of salt in an Oven Bag
, cook in a preheated oven at 350 for 2 hours. I place this package on a baking sheet or glass baking ware.
, cook in a preheated oven at 350 for 2 hours. I place this package on a baking sheet or 
- Take the bag out of the oven to drain must of the juices released by the meat, close the bag and place back in the oven for another hour or so until the meat is golden brown.
PORK CARNITAS RECIPE
Ingredients
- 2 Lbs. pork loin and pork butt in large cubes about 2 inches.
- 1/4 cup of Lard vegetable oil is OK
- About 6-8 cups of water enough to cover the meat
- 1 Tablespoon of salt
- Optional: 3 cloves of garlic
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or Cast Iron Pot place the pork, lard, water, garlic, and salt. Cook covered on a medium heat to a boil. Reduce to simmer for about 45 minutes until pork is almost tender.
- Uncover and turn the heat to medium high to reduce the liquid.The meat will start frying in its own fat and lard at this point. Carefully brown the meat at medium low heat stirring frequently until pork is evenly browned. About 15 to 20 minutes. At this point do not over cook or you will get very dry meat.
- Serve with hot tortillas and green salsa.
Now, when you do not have the time to be watching the meat or have another thing to do here is my oven baked carnitas.
- Place the meat, 1/4 cup lard, 1 cup of water and 1 Tablespoon of salt in an Oven Bag , cook in a preheated oven at 350 for 2 hours. I place this package on a baking sheet or glass baking ware.
- Take the bag out of the oven to drain must of the juices released by the meat, close the bag and place back in the oven for another hour or so until the meat is golden brown, using this method the meat will be tender and juicy.
Nutrition
Pork carnitas recipe
Wasn’t that easy? I think so.
What is your favorite way to eat carnitas? Here is an idea to use any leftovers: Pork in Tomato Sauce
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Quick question? Do you think there is a way to do this same recipe in a crock pot and then crisp it up in a cast iron skillet?
Hello Axel,
Yes, you can cook the pork carnitas in the slow cooker on high for about 4-5 hours and finish the process on a cast iron frying pan on the stove.
My meat looks nothing like Ike the picture. I followed the instructions. I came out with a rubbery mess. Should’ve never added water
Hola Mely!!! I tried this recipe with pork under belly and it was so delicious. It was so great to find a recipe that doesn’t require having a slow cooker! I am just teaching myself how to cook and there are so many times when I wish I could return to CDMX for a street taco… Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Outstanding! So easy! So delicious!
Hello Matt,
I hope you enjoy this easy Carnitas Recipe. Happy cooking!
Thank you! I hope David Lebovitz reads your blog – last week he published a carnitas recipe that was full of spices, on his very popular blog. I couldn’t resist commenting about how they are made in Mexico, where I lived for 20 years.
As for me, I don’t have access to cooking bags, but I’m thinking of trying parchment tied up with string as for mixiote – what do you think?
Hello Gina,
The irony of this is that David Lebovitz just mentioned a couple of days ago on his IG account that Carnitas is one of his most popular recipes. I haven’t seen his recipe, but I understand people that are not Mexican giving a recipe their own twist. The idea of using the bag came to me after living for so many years in a small apartment that used to get full of all the cooking aromas. You for sure can use other things like you mentioned, parchment pepper, banana leaves or aluminum foil, but make sure to unwrap in the final cooking stage to give the meat that crispy texture.
Thank you for stopping by. Happy cooking!
Happy New Year!! I have been cooking carnitas for more than 20 years. i lived in central California for several years and enjoyed many ways of making this wonderful treat. I use garlic, onions,Oregano, a few chipotle peppers in adobo and of course salt. I save the cooking broth and boil my beans in it. We usually make tacos or tortas with the meat. We never have much left so I can’t offer suggestions about left overs!! THANK YOU so much for your terrific recipes. I will try eveyrone that I don’t already have in my file!!
Hi Chris,
Cool additions to your carnitas. Have fun cooking!
Ricas , excelente receta , gracias por compartir
I made this the first time with pork loin and was too lazy to make salsa verde. I was pretty happy with how they turned out other than my leftovers being a little dry and missing the salsa. The second time I used pork butt and did make the salsa verde and it was exactly what I was going for. It didn’t get dry reheating for work lunch. I will always use pork butt in the future, unless trying to make a less delicious but less fattening version. I only have a cast iron skillet that’s too small to cook them in from start to finish and the liquid did not reduce in my stainless steel pot, so after about 2 hours, I browned the pieces in my cast iron skillet in vegetable oil. I couldn’t find lard and used vegetable oil instead. SO GOOD. Thank you for your recipes
I found the lard in the international aisle not the baking aisle. 😊
Hello Erin,
Thank you for letting us know. I’m sure many people will find this tip very helpful.
Happy cooking!
Simply amazing! ! ! Best carnitas recipe I’ve ever had outside of a restaurant!! I did mine oven style and it’s great!! Everyone who has tried it thinks we bought it from a restaurant and brought it home!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
Hello Inga,
Thank you for taking the time to come back and share your experience using the Carnitas recipe.
By the way I also did not have a baking bag. Instead I covered mine with tinfoil..
Hola Mely!
Would you please clarify if I am to use 2 pounds of pork loin AND 2 pounds of pork butt or was it just 2 pounds between both cuts of pork? Thank you!!
Hello Liz,
It is 2 pounds only. But, you better double the batch because people love the carnitas. In case you have leftovers, they freeze really well.
So it is just 2 pounds total and not 4 correct?
Hello John,
Yes, but I highly recommend you double the recipe. The meat shrinks while cooking and you will be happy if you have leftovers.
I would never have believed you could get such amazing texture and flavor in such a short amount of time, but wow, wow, wow that was delicious! We only had pork butt on hand, and since I didn’t have any lard, I added the excess fat back into the pot. Loved that this was simple to make and really let the flavor of the pork shine. Thank you for sharing!
Hello Beth,
Thank you for trying the recipe. It is actually easy to make pork carnitas. So glad to know you like it.
Hi Mely,
I have a question, can I cook boneless chicken thighs like Carnitas in the oven? Well actually first of all I did try to Carnitas in the oven with the baking bag. It was so awesomely good, we had it with yellow rice and fried plantains. We went to the store a couple of days later and my husband could not buy enough pork chunk for me to make more Carnitas. So, can I make chicken thighs in the same way in the Oven and will they brown like the Carnitas?
Hello Marie,
If you add some sort of fat to it, I bet the will! Let me know of you try it!
This is the way I remember making carnitas. I looked through so many recipes that used a crock pot and finished it off in the oven. I just wanted to make sure I remembered how to do it, and all those other recipes call for lots of spices. Salt and pepper is all I ever used. Cook it in water until that evaporates, then it cooks in its own fat. I never added manteca, just maybe a little oil.
Thanks!
I have leftover pork roast that I would like to make carnitas out of and make tacos. What do you suggest?
Hello Rose,
Is it already cooked? You can use other pork cuts to make carnitas. In Mexico, Carnitas are made with all several parts of the pork. In some regions, the whole pork is cut up and made into carnitas.
What a great recipe! Easy Sunday dinner.
Always make carnita’s when pork shoulder is on sale.
So,is that a total of 3 hours if you cook them in the oven ?
Hello Angie,
Yes, first you cook for 2 hours, and open the bag and remove the meat when it is golden brown. This last step could take less than an hour
Hola Mely!
Can I cook stew beef chunks the same way as the Carnitas?
Hello Marie,
Yes, if they are a cut that has good fat content, like rib-eye steak. You have to watch the cooking time since they are to different types of meats.