This Easy Carnitas Recipe makes amazing carnitas: rich, tender shredded pork with crispy, crunchy edges, perfect for tacos, burritos, or just eating by the forkful. The post includes step-by-step instructions and everything you ever wanted to know about making carnitas.
Okay, you all know that I love every recipe I share here, but there are some that I get extra excited about sharing. My Oven-roasted Tri-tip was one (and it has been incredibly pop
ular). My Freezer Meatballs were another (these have not been popular at all, people, go fall in love with them!!), and today I have another recipe I’m really excited about: carnitas!!!
Have you ever made carnitas? Have you ever eaten carnitas? Because, friend, They. Are. So. Good.
What are carnitas?
Carnitas translates literally as “little meats.” It’s a Mexican dish made by braising pork until it yields fall-apart tender meat which is then cooked over high heat to make the outside crispy and delicious.
The result is fantastically rich shredded pork that manages to be both tender and have all sorts of crispy, crunchy bits. It’s the type of meal you’re going to want to share, not just because it tastes great (and makes a ton), but because it makes you look like a genius cook.
You bring these carnitas to one potluck or serve them at one party, and I guarantee you will have people asking you for the recipe and talking wistfully about them months later.
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil: Traditional carnitas recipes use lard as their cooking fat, but we’ll use vegetable or canola oil today.
- Pork shoulder roast: The best cut of meat for carnitas is pork shoulder AKA pork butt AKA Boston butt because it is well-marbled with fat and cooks up incredibly tender with a long braise.
- Large onion: A yellow, white, or red onion all work here.
- Lime juice: Just a bit of lime juice gives the pork a slightly tangy flavor.
- Garlic and spices: Garlic and a mix of chili powder, oregano, and cumin help to flavor the pork as it braises.
- Chicken broth: Using chicken broth as our braising liquid instead of water also helps boost the flavor of the pork as it cooks.
A Note on Bone-in vs Boneless Pork Shoulder Roasts: You’ll probably find both bone-in and boneless pork shoulder roasts at your grocery store. Either one works just fine for carnitas, but if you have a choice between the two at a comparable price, go with the boneless roast. The bone-in roasts have a Y-shaped bone that is a bit of a pain to get out cleanly.
If you do end up with a bone-in roast, the good thing is that they are so large and inexpensive that you don’t have to worry too much about getting every single last piece of meat off the bone. Just use a sharp knife ( a boning knife if you own one) and slice the meat away from the bone as best you can until you are able to remove it. Don’t stress too much about it. Here’s a good video of someone doing a much nicer job of removing the bone than I usually manage.
Preparing Pork Shoulder for Carnitas
As mentioned, pork shoulder is a pretty fatty piece of meat. Before cooking, you’ll want to remove the large fat cap (the thick layer of fat on one side of your roast) and cut away any silver skin (the thin, silvery blue membrane that sticks closely to the meat). Don’t worry about the smaller bits of fat marbled throughout the meat. Any fat that remains after braising can be picked out while shredding.
Then you just cut your roast into large chunks about the size of a lady’s fist, and you’re ready to start cooking.
PS: Don’t worry if your chunks don’t look pretty or are not completely even in size. You’re going to shred that pork so no one is ever going to know.
How to Make Carnitas
There are three stages to making carnitas. Stages two and three are pretty hands-off, but step one will require your full attention, so make sure you have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you begin.
- Salt and brown the meat. Depending on how large your roast and Dutch oven are ( this is the Dutch oven I always use for carnitas), you might need to do this in batches. You’ll want to brown all sides of your meat, so don’t crowd the pan too much, and this may take up to 15 minutes.
- Long, slow cooking time. After your meat is browned, you’ll add the onions, garlic, spices, lime juice, and enough chicken broth to mostly cover the meat. That all simmers covered for about two and a half hours, until your meat is tender enough to pull apart with a fork.
- Make it crispy. This is my favorite part. Now that your meat is nice and tender, you get to make it crispy too. You shred the meat, transfer it to a sheet pan, and let it crisp up in the oven at a high temp for 30 minutes, occasionally adding a little cooking liquid to keep it from drying out. As soon as you’ve got enough crispy edges for your liking, it’s done and you get to eat!
What to serve with pork carnitas?
Carnitas are super versatile. You can serve them in Carnitas Tacos , tostadas, or make sliders with them. Adding them to nachos , a salad, or made into Carnitas Enchiladas is also highly recommended.
For sides, as with something like Beef Stroganoff or Braised Short Ribs , Carnitas are so rich that you probably want to stick to sides that aren’t too heavy. Something like Cilantro Rice , Skillet Mexican Zucchini , Mexican Coleslaw , Corn and Black Bean Salad or Mexican Street Corn Salad would be perfect. And when in doubt, you can never go wrong with simple universal sides like Green Beans or Steamed Broccoli .
What to do with leftover carnitas?
Store leftover carnitas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Drizzle with a couple extra tablespoons of the cooking liquid to help keep them moist before storing. Reheat in the microwave. Second-day carnitas are fantastic in quesadillas, burritos , and burrito bowls .
And not going to lie, it’s also pretty satisfying to stand in the refrigerator and eat cold carnitas leftovers plain the day after a party (they get better on day two!).
Can I freeze carnitas?
Yes! Because carnitas are a real time commitment and the cut of meat you need comes as a pretty large roast, even if you’re part of a small household and not cooking for guests, I still recommend making the full-size carnitas recipe rather than trying to cut it down because carnitas freeze really well.
Just freeze meal-sized batches with a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid in freezer-safe plastic bags. When you’re ready for more carnitas, defrost in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave until warm or spread on a baking sheet and bake, loosely covered with foil at 350°F until heated through (usually 10-15 minutes).
Remove the foil and broil on high for just a minute or two until the edges are crisp. (Heads up: If you’ve just cleaned your oven, you might want to skip this step. The carnitas pop and sizzle quite a bit as they broil.)
What kind of meat are carnitas?
Pork! Carnitas are made from nice, marbled (with fat) chunks of pork shoulder, which when braised over a long period of time become incredibly tender.
The nice thing about pork shoulder is that it’s readily available, and it’s usually very cheap. Here is Southern California, I often see it as low .99/ pound. So for parties, feeding a crowd, or even stocking your freezer with leftovers, this is a very low-cost meal option.
You Might Also Enjoy
- Homemade Carne Asada
- Barbacoa Beef
- Chicken Enchiladas
- Salsa Chicken
- Awesome Steak Fajitas
Carnitas Recipe Notes
If you’re making carnitas for an event, make sure to give yourself enough time to cook them. Between prepping the meat (especially if it’s bone-in), browning, the long, low simmer, and crisping time, carnitas always take longer than you expect, so allow yourself that time.
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- ▢ Large Dutch oven
Carnitas
- ▢ 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- ▢ 4-6 pound pork shoulder roast boneless or bone-in, trimmed of fat cap and cut into fist-sized chunks
- ▢ Salt and pepper
- ▢ 1 large onion diced
- ▢ 1 clove garlic crushed
- ▢ 3 tablespoons lime juice
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ▢ 6-8 cups ( 3-4 14.5 ounce cans) chicken broth
Instructions
- Pre-measure all your ingredients, dice your onion, and prep your garlic. Once you get started cooking, things move fast.
- Generously salt and pepper pork chunks on all sides.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, brown meat on all sides, in batches if necessary. This will take 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add onion, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and enough chicken broth so the meat is mostly covered. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until meat is tender and can be easily pulled apart with a fork.
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer meat to a cutting board (reserve the broth) and use two forks to shred the meat. Transfer shredded meat to the baking sheet and spread it in an even layer over the surface. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid over the meat, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 10 minutes.
- Drizzle a little more broth over the meat, cook 10 minutes more, and repeat for a total of 30 minutes, until edges are crispy and browned.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Recipe Adapted From AllRecipes
This small no-bake marshmallow pumpkin cheesecake is a fun and easy mini dessert you can make without ever turning on your oven.
If you’re craving pumpkin cheesecake but don’t feel up to a big baking project or you have a half-eaten bag of marshmallows you should really use up, you need this recipe in your life.
It’s fun and simple to make and produces an adorable 6-inch cheesecake that is rich and creamy and so, so good.
Ingredient Notes
- Pumpkin puree: Not to be confused with canned pumpkin pie filling, pumpkin puree is just pure pureed pumpkin. You can usually find it in the baking aisle near the premade pie crusts and pie filling. The recipe won’t use up an entire can of pumpkin puree, so see my post What to Do With Leftover Pumpkin Puree for storage tips and recipe ideas for the leftovers.
- Marshmallows: Marshmallows provide most of the sweetness for this pie so they cannot be omitted. You’ll need 5 ounces of marshmallows, about half a standard-size bag.
- Cream cheese: Philadelphia cream cheese is my go-to cream cheese brand. Make sure your cream cheese is truly room temperature before you try to use it. Cream cheese that’s too cold will leave cream cheese lumps in the cheesecake.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream lightly sweetened and whipped into whipped cream helps lighten up the texture of the cheesecake. You can also replace the whipped cream and sugar with 1 cup of whipped topping. The recipe won’t use up an entire carton of heavy cream. For ideas on what to do with the leftovers, check out this post What to Do With Leftover Whipping Cream .
- Pumpkin spices: This recipe uses cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, but if you have premade pumpkin pie spice in your cupboard, you can replace these spices with 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
How to Make a Marshmallow Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Melt the marshmallows: In a medium saucepan, combine marshmallows, canned pumpkin, spices, and salt. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly with a heat-proof rubber spatula, until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture uniform in color, about 6 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure none of the mixture is sticking to the edges of the pot and burning. Burnt bits will leave chewy dark streaks in your pie. Cool to room temperature, 45 minutes to an hour.
- Make the graham cracker crust: Stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and brown sugar and then press into a 6-inch pie tin in an even layer. Place in the freezer until you’re ready to use it.
- Make whipped cream: In a separate medium bowl, combine heavy cream and sugar. Beat using a handheld electric mixer, starting on low and working up to high, until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Make the cheesecake base: Add softened cream cheese to the cooled marshmallow mixture and beat until the cream cheese is completely incorporated.
- Fold in the whipped cream and assemble the pie: Switch back to a rubber or silicone spatula and gently fold in the whipped cream, being careful not to deflate the cream too much as you go. Once there are no streaks remaining, spoon the filling into your prepared pie crust.
- Chill until set: The pie will need about 3 to 4 hours of chilling time before it’s ready to eat. Once it’s firmed up, you can decorate it with additional whipped cream and enjoy!
A note on extra filling: 6-inch pie pans vary somewhat in size. If you’re using a shallow pie dish, there may be quite a bit of extra filling. You can discard (or eat) the leftover filling.
You can also line a mini muffin pan with cupcake liners and fill them with the extra filling. Freeze and make little frozen cheesecake bites.
I don’t have a 6-inch pie dish. What can I use instead?
Instead of a single small pie, make it into mini pies using a cupcake pan. Just be sure to line the cups with liners or you’ll have a tough time getting the mini pies out of the pan.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. Make the marshmallow pumpkin cheesecake up to 48 hours in advance and store covered in the refrigerator (don’t decorate with whipped cream until just before serving as the whipped cream may begin to weep).
Or wrap tightly and store in a freezer bag and freeze the cheesecake for up to 2 months. This cheesecake freezes extremely well. Defrost in the refrigerator before serving.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes! If you’d like to double the recipe, use a regular 9-inch pie pan. No preparation changes are needed. To double the recipe ingredients, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
More Fall Recipes
- Small Apple Cake
- Dutch Apple Pie
- Small-batch Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Streusel Muffins (Small-batch)
- Easy Kettle Corn
- The Best Pumpkin Pancakes
More Cheesecake Recipes
- Easy Cheesecake
- Cheesecake Bites
- Oreo Cheesecake Bites
- Unicorn No-bake Cheesecakes
Equipment
- 6-inch pie pan
- Handheld electric mixer
Ingredients
- ▢ 5 ounces ( 3 cups minis or 19 regular ) marshmallows
- ▢ ½ cup ( 122g ) canned pumpkin
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon *
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
- ▢ ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs 6 full graham cracker sheets
- ▢ 4 tablespoons ( 56g ) butter melted, salted or unsalted is fine
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 25g ) brown sugar
- ▢ ½ cup heavy cream
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 12g ) granulated sugar
- ▢ 3 ounces cream cheese softened
Optional Toppings
- ▢ Whipped cream
- ▢ Ground cinnamon
Instructions
Melt Marshmallows
- In a medium pot, combine marshmallows, canned pumpkin, spices, and salt.
- Heat over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly, until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture uniform in color, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Scrape mixture into a medium bowl and allow to cool to room temperature, 45 minutes to an hour.
Make the Crust
- While your marshmallow filling cools, in a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and brown sugar. Stir together until well-mixed and press crumbs into a 6-inch pie tin in an even layer. Place in the freezer until you’re ready to use it.
Assemble the Cheesecake
- Once marshmallow mixture has cooled, in a separate medium bowl, combine heavy cream and sugar. Beat using a handheld electric mixer, starting on low and working up to high, until stiff peaks form (when you lift the beaters straight out, they should leave peaks of whipped cream that stand straight up and don’t flop over at the tip). Set aside.
- Add softened cream cheese to the cooled marshmallow mixture and beat until the cream cheese is completely incorporated.
- Switch to silicone spatula and gently fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin/cream cheese mixture, being careful not to deflate the cream too much as you go.
- Once there are no streaks remaining, spoon the filling into your prepared pie crust. There may be some extra filling that won’t fit. You can discard (or eat it).
- Smooth the top of the pie and refrigerate until firm, 3 to 4 hours.
- Decorate with additional whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
Storage tips and recipe ideas for leftover pie dough scraps.
I’d been meaning to write this post since I posted my Favorite Buttermilk Pie Crust recipe, because pie crust is one of those things you always have leftovers for, and you can make so many easy and delicious things with the scraps.
What to do With Leftover Pie Dough
First things first: You don’t have to do anything with the pie dough scraps right away! You just made an entire pie (like a Dutch Apple Pie or something probably equally impressive).
If you don’t feel like playing in the kitchen anymore, those scraps will keep until tomorrow or next month depending on how you store them.
Storing Pie Dough Scraps
- In the Refrigerator: Squish all your scraps together and place them in a zip-top bag and store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
- In the Freezer: Squish scraps together, transfer to a freezer bag, and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator for 12 hours before using.
Things to Make With Leftover Pie Dough
When you are ready to do something with the scraps, here are a few things you can make with them.
- Cinnamon Sugar Pie Dough Cookies: Crispy, buttery pie crust cookies sprinkled with sweet and spicy cinnamon sugar .
- Jam Pop-tarts: Mini versions of the store-bought fav made with your favorite jam and a quick and simple powdered sugar glaze.
- Chocolate-stuffed Cookies: Pie dough cookies with melty chocolate chips inside that are rolled in powdered sugar.
- Pizza Roll-ups: A fun savory snack stuffed with pizza sauce , cheese, and pepperoni.
MoreWaste NotPosts
- What to Do With Leftover Whipping Cream
- What to Do With Leftover Pesto
- What to Do With Leftover Pumpkin Puree
- What to Do With Leftover Egg Whites
- What to Do With Leftover Egg Yolks
- What to Do With Leftover Half and Half
Scroll past the recipe card for even more pie dough recipe ideas.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar Leftover Pie Dough Cookies
- ▢ Melted butter
- ▢ Cinnamon sugar
Jam Pop-tarts
- ▢ Jam
- ▢ Powdered sugar
- ▢ Milk
- ▢ Sprinkles
Chocolate-stuffed Cookies
- ▢ Chocolate chips
- ▢ Powdered sugar
Pizza Roll-ups
- ▢ Pizza or spaghetti sauce
- ▢ Shredded mozzarella cheese
- ▢ Shredded Parmesan cheese
- ▢ Pepperoni
- ▢ Wooden toothpicks
Instructions
Cinnamon Sugar Pie Dough Cookies
- Roll dough scraps out to 1/4-inch thick and cut into strips or use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Bake at 400°F on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for 8 to 12 minutes, until bottom edges are golden brown.
Jam Pop Tarts
- Roll out scraps to 1/8-inch thick and cut into squares or rectangles. Add a dollop of jam to the center of half of the pieces. Place tops over the jam and crimp with a fork to seal. Poke with a fork a few times to allow steam to escape.
- Bake at 400°F on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes until golden. Cool for at least 5 minutes and mix powdered sugar and milk together (about 1 teaspoon milk per 1/4 cup powdered sugar) until a thick glaze forms.
- Spread over the tops of the pop tarts and add sprinkles.
Chocolate-stuffed Cookies
- Roll dough out to 1/8-inch thick and cut about 3-inch rounds. Put a few chocolate chips in the center, fold edges up, and pinch to seal.
- Bake at 400°F on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, drop into powdered sugar and toss to coat.
Pizza Roll Ups
- Roll leftover pie dough into a rectangular(ish) shape 1/8-inch thick. Spoon on a thin layer of red sauce, top with mozzarella, Parmesan, and pepperoni.
- Roll tightly and secure by poking wooden toothpicks through the center every 1 1/2 inch. Cut between toothpicks and bake at 400°F (leaving the toothpicks in the rolls) on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes until golden. Remove toothpicks and enjoy!
More things to make with leftover pie dough!
And, I asked some food blogger friends for some more ideas. These recipes don’t specifically call for scraps, but they are easily scalable and all look fantastic!
- Wee Little Blueberry Maple Pies from Hungry Enough to Eat Six – I bet you have enough dough to make a couple cupcake-sized versions of these adorable wee pies!
- Mini Nutella Pies on a Stick from The Road to Honey – Pie on a stick? Love it. Add Nutella? Even better. It doesn’t get much easier than these!
- Apple Pie Stuffed Apples from Two Purple Figs – I’m definitely making one of these with my next batch of leftovers.
- Cinnamon Roll Dippers from 4 Sons R Us – Make up a mini batch of this glaze dip and use it on some Cinnamon Sugar Leftover Pie Dough Cookies!!
This Easy Carnitas Recipe makes amazing carnitas: rich, tender shredded pork with crispy, crunchy edges, perfect for tacos, burritos, or just eating by the forkful. The post includes step-by-step instructions and everything you ever wanted to know about making carnitas.
Okay, you all know that I love every recipe I share here, but there are some that I get extra excited about sharing. My Oven-roasted Tri-tip was one (and it has been incredibly pop
ular). My Freezer Meatballs were another (these have not been popular at all, people, go fall in love with them!!), and today I have another recipe I’m really excited about: carnitas!!!
Have you ever made carnitas? Have you ever eaten carnitas? Because, friend, They. Are. So. Good.
What are carnitas?
Carnitas translates literally as “little meats.” It’s a Mexican dish made by braising pork until it yields fall-apart tender meat which is then cooked over high heat to make the outside crispy and delicious.
The result is fantastically rich shredded pork that manages to be both tender and have all sorts of crispy, crunchy bits. It’s the type of meal you’re going to want to share, not just because it tastes great (and makes a ton), but because it makes you look like a genius cook.
You bring these carnitas to one potluck or serve them at one party, and I guarantee you will have people asking you for the recipe and talking wistfully about them months later.
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil: Traditional carnitas recipes use lard as their cooking fat, but we’ll use vegetable or canola oil today.
- Pork shoulder roast: The best cut of meat for carnitas is pork shoulder AKA pork butt AKA Boston butt because it is well-marbled with fat and cooks up incredibly tender with a long braise.
- Large onion: A yellow, white, or red onion all work here.
- Lime juice: Just a bit of lime juice gives the pork a slightly tangy flavor.
- Garlic and spices: Garlic and a mix of chili powder, oregano, and cumin help to flavor the pork as it braises.
- Chicken broth: Using chicken broth as our braising liquid instead of water also helps boost the flavor of the pork as it cooks.
A Note on Bone-in vs Boneless Pork Shoulder Roasts: You’ll probably find both bone-in and boneless pork shoulder roasts at your grocery store. Either one works just fine for carnitas, but if you have a choice between the two at a comparable price, go with the boneless roast. The bone-in roasts have a Y-shaped bone that is a bit of a pain to get out cleanly.
If you do end up with a bone-in roast, the good thing is that they are so large and inexpensive that you don’t have to worry too much about getting every single last piece of meat off the bone. Just use a sharp knife ( a boning knife if you own one) and slice the meat away from the bone as best you can until you are able to remove it. Don’t stress too much about it. Here’s a good video of someone doing a much nicer job of removing the bone than I usually manage.
Preparing Pork Shoulder for Carnitas
As mentioned, pork shoulder is a pretty fatty piece of meat. Before cooking, you’ll want to remove the large fat cap (the thick layer of fat on one side of your roast) and cut away any silver skin (the thin, silvery blue membrane that sticks closely to the meat). Don’t worry about the smaller bits of fat marbled throughout the meat. Any fat that remains after braising can be picked out while shredding.
Then you just cut your roast into large chunks about the size of a lady’s fist, and you’re ready to start cooking.
PS: Don’t worry if your chunks don’t look pretty or are not completely even in size. You’re going to shred that pork so no one is ever going to know.
How to Make Carnitas
There are three stages to making carnitas. Stages two and three are pretty hands-off, but step one will require your full attention, so make sure you have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you begin.
- Salt and brown the meat. Depending on how large your roast and Dutch oven are ( this is the Dutch oven I always use for carnitas), you might need to do this in batches. You’ll want to brown all sides of your meat, so don’t crowd the pan too much, and this may take up to 15 minutes.
- Long, slow cooking time. After your meat is browned, you’ll add the onions, garlic, spices, lime juice, and enough chicken broth to mostly cover the meat. That all simmers covered for about two and a half hours, until your meat is tender enough to pull apart with a fork.
- Make it crispy. This is my favorite part. Now that your meat is nice and tender, you get to make it crispy too. You shred the meat, transfer it to a sheet pan, and let it crisp up in the oven at a high temp for 30 minutes, occasionally adding a little cooking liquid to keep it from drying out. As soon as you’ve got enough crispy edges for your liking, it’s done and you get to eat!
What to serve with pork carnitas?
Carnitas are super versatile. You can serve them in Carnitas Tacos , tostadas, or make sliders with them. Adding them to nachos , a salad, or made into Carnitas Enchiladas is also highly recommended.
For sides, as with something like Beef Stroganoff or Braised Short Ribs , Carnitas are so rich that you probably want to stick to sides that aren’t too heavy. Something like Cilantro Rice , Skillet Mexican Zucchini , Mexican Coleslaw , Corn and Black Bean Salad or Mexican Street Corn Salad would be perfect. And when in doubt, you can never go wrong with simple universal sides like Green Beans or Steamed Broccoli .
What to do with leftover carnitas?
Store leftover carnitas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Drizzle with a couple extra tablespoons of the cooking liquid to help keep them moist before storing. Reheat in the microwave. Second-day carnitas are fantastic in quesadillas, burritos , and burrito bowls .
And not going to lie, it’s also pretty satisfying to stand in the refrigerator and eat cold carnitas leftovers plain the day after a party (they get better on day two!).
Can I freeze carnitas?
Yes! Because carnitas are a real time commitment and the cut of meat you need comes as a pretty large roast, even if you’re part of a small household and not cooking for guests, I still recommend making the full-size carnitas recipe rather than trying to cut it down because carnitas freeze really well.
Just freeze meal-sized batches with a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid in freezer-safe plastic bags. When you’re ready for more carnitas, defrost in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave until warm or spread on a baking sheet and bake, loosely covered with foil at 350°F until heated through (usually 10-15 minutes).
Remove the foil and broil on high for just a minute or two until the edges are crisp. (Heads up: If you’ve just cleaned your oven, you might want to skip this step. The carnitas pop and sizzle quite a bit as they broil.)
What kind of meat are carnitas?
Pork! Carnitas are made from nice, marbled (with fat) chunks of pork shoulder, which when braised over a long period of time become incredibly tender.
The nice thing about pork shoulder is that it’s readily available, and it’s usually very cheap. Here is Southern California, I often see it as low .99/ pound. So for parties, feeding a crowd, or even stocking your freezer with leftovers, this is a very low-cost meal option.
You Might Also Enjoy
- Homemade Carne Asada
- Barbacoa Beef
- Chicken Enchiladas
- Salsa Chicken
- Awesome Steak Fajitas
Carnitas Recipe Notes
If you’re making carnitas for an event, make sure to give yourself enough time to cook them. Between prepping the meat (especially if it’s bone-in), browning, the long, low simmer, and crisping time, carnitas always take longer than you expect, so allow yourself that time.
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- ▢ Large Dutch oven
Carnitas
- ▢ 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- ▢ 4-6 pound pork shoulder roast boneless or bone-in, trimmed of fat cap and cut into fist-sized chunks
- ▢ Salt and pepper
- ▢ 1 large onion diced
- ▢ 1 clove garlic crushed
- ▢ 3 tablespoons lime juice
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ▢ 6-8 cups ( 3-4 14.5 ounce cans) chicken broth
Instructions
- Pre-measure all your ingredients, dice your onion, and prep your garlic. Once you get started cooking, things move fast.
- Generously salt and pepper pork chunks on all sides.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, brown meat on all sides, in batches if necessary. This will take 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add onion, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and enough chicken broth so the meat is mostly covered. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until meat is tender and can be easily pulled apart with a fork.
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer meat to a cutting board (reserve the broth) and use two forks to shred the meat. Transfer shredded meat to the baking sheet and spread it in an even layer over the surface. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid over the meat, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 10 minutes.
- Drizzle a little more broth over the meat, cook 10 minutes more, and repeat for a total of 30 minutes, until edges are crispy and browned.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Recipe Adapted From AllRecipes
Easy Carnitas Recipe
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- Large Dutch oven
Carnitas
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 4-6 pound pork shoulder roast boneless or bone-in, trimmed of fat cap and cut into fist-sized chunks
- Salt and pepper
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 6-8 cups ( 3-4 14.5 ounce cans) chicken broth
Instructions
- Pre-measure all your ingredients, dice your onion, and prep your garlic. Once you get started cooking, things move fast.
- Generously salt and pepper pork chunks on all sides.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, brown meat on all sides, in batches if necessary. This will take 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add onion, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and enough chicken broth so the meat is mostly covered. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until meat is tender and can be easily pulled apart with a fork.
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer meat to a cutting board (reserve the broth) and use two forks to shred the meat. Transfer shredded meat to the baking sheet and spread it in an even layer over the surface. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid over the meat, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 10 minutes.
- Drizzle a little more broth over the meat, cook 10 minutes more, and repeat for a total of 30 minutes, until edges are crispy and browned.
- Serve and enjoy.
