Authentic-Style Pork Carnitas (Dutch Oven & Oven-Crisped)
Make incredible, authentic-style Pork Carnitas at home! This recipe features pork shoulder seared, simmered until tender with lime and spices, then shredded and oven-crisped to perfection.
Ingredients
(Original recipe yields 12 servings)
- ▢ ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ▢ 4 pounds pork shoulder, cut into several large pieces (e.g., 3-4 inch chunks)
- ▢ 3 tablespoons kosher salt (or to taste, this is a significant amount for 4 lbs)
- ▢ 1 onion, chopped
- ▢ 1 clove garlic, crushed (Note: Only 1 clove for 4lbs pork seems low, original may have typo or imply very large clove. Consider 3-4 cloves for more flavor).
- ▢ 3 tablespoons lime juice
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ▢ Ground black pepper to taste
- ▢ 4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth (approx. 7.25 cups total)
For Serving (Suggestions):
- ▢ Corn or flour tortillas
- ▢ Diced white onion, fresh cilantro, salsa, lime wedges
Instructions
1. Prepare and Sear Pork:
- Gather all your ingredients. If your pork shoulder is one large piece, cut it into several large, manageable pieces (e.g., 3-4 inch chunks).
- Heat the ¼ cup of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over high heat until shimmering.
- Season the pork shoulder pieces generously on all sides with the 3 tablespoons of kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Carefully arrange the seasoned pork pieces in the hot Dutch oven (do not overcrowd; sear in batches if necessary).
- Cook until deeply browned on all sides, about 10 minutes total, turning the pieces with tongs.
2. Add Aromatics, Spices, and Liquid; Simmer Pork:
- Stir in the chopped onion and crushed garlic into the Dutch oven with the pork. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in the lime juice, chili powder, dried oregano, and ground cumin.
- Pour in the chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the Dutch oven tightly with its lid, and let the pork simmer gently.
- Simmer for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the pork is very tender and easily falls apart when prodded with a fork.
3. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pork for Crisping:
- Towards the end of the simmering time, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Carefully transfer the very tender pork shoulder pieces from the Dutch oven to a large baking sheet using a slotted spoon or tongs. Reserve all the cooking liquid remaining in the Dutch oven.
- Drizzle a small amount (a few tablespoons) of the reserved cooking liquid over the pork pieces on the baking sheet. Lightly season the pork again with a tiny pinch of salt if desired (taste liquid first, it might be salty enough).
4. Crisp Pork in Oven and Shred:
- Place the baking sheet with the pork into the preheated oven.
- Bake the pork until it begins to brown and develop crispy edges, about 30 minutes total.
- Important Basting Step: Every 10 minutes during this baking/crisping process, remove the baking sheet from the oven and drizzle more of the reserved cooking liquid over the pork.
- As the pork browns and becomes tender enough to shred easily, use two forks to begin shredding the pork directly on the baking sheet. Continue baking, basting, and shredding until all the pork is shredded and has achieved your desired level of crispiness and browning.
5. Serve:
- Once the carnitas are nicely browned and crispy in parts, remove them from the oven.
- Serve the hot Pork Carnitas immediately. They are classically served in warm corn tortillas, topped with diced white onion, fresh chopped cilantro, your favorite salsa, and a squeeze of fresh lime.
- Enjoy your delicious, authentic-style homemade carnitas!
Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/authentic-style-pork-carnitas/