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My family loves this pork carnitas recipe. It features seared pork shoulder that’s roasted until it’s fork-tender and layered with flavor.
Need more Mexican-inspired dishes? Try my carne asada, chicken al pastor, or authentic birria next.
Serious question: Is there anything better than a hearty pork roast that’s pan-seared and slow-roasted until it falls apart? Go on, I’ll wait…
Coming from a household that loved to play with Mexican flavors, we made this dish often. For this recipe, I stuck with my family spice blend for seasoning, and then I seared the pork to lock in its juices. A few hours in the oven, and you’re left with tender meat that falls apart just by looking at it!
What are carnitas?
Translated from ‘little meats’ in Spanish, this is a Mexican dish made up of pork that’s seasoned with aromatics and braised until tender and shreddable.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Easy. Once the pork is seasoned and seared, the oven takes care of the rest.
- No complicated ingredients. Only pantry staples and a few grocery store finds.
- The leftovers! The flavors intensify, and the pork tastes even better the next day.
- Perfect texture. The pork is juicy, and the seared exterior adds a subtle caramelized crust.
- Slow cooker and Instant Pot methods included. I prefer the oven method, but I also tested the slow cooker and pressure cooker methods, just in case.
Ingredients needed
- Pork shoulder. This is my preferred cut as it’s higher fat and yields ultra juicy, tender meat. Alternatively, I have had luck with pork butt.
- Taco seasoning. Essentially a mix of paprika, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, salt, pepper, and a range of other spices. Either make your own or use a store-bought blend.
- Onion and garlic. For aroma and flavor.
- Salsa. For moisture and extra flavor.
- Beef stock. My preferred liquid for adding flavor and helping break down the meat. Chicken broth also works.
- Olive oil. To brown the pork shoulder before slow-cooking it.
- Bay leaves. For added aroma.
- Cilantro. To serve.
How to make chipotle carnitas
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Preheat the oven and season the pork.
Step 2- Add the pork to a hot, well-oiled skillet. Sear on all sides until brown.
Step 3- Assemble. Place the pork in a Dutch oven and pour the remaining ingredients on top.
Step 4- Roast. Cover the dish with foil and cook until fork-tender. Let the pork rest for 5 minutes before serving. Then, shred and serve as desired.
Alternative cooking methods
If you’d rather not use the oven, I also tested using the slow cooker and Instant Pot instead. Here’s how:
Instant Pot method: Season the pork and sear it on the ‘Sauté’ setting in the Instant Pot. Remove the pork from the pot and sauté the onion and garlic. Add the pork, along with the remaining ingredients, to the pot. Cook on ‘High Pressure’ for 1 hour, then naturally release the pressure for 10-15 minutes.
Slow cooker method: Season the pork and sauté in a skillet on the stovetop. Place it in the slow cooker and sauté the onions and garlic. Add the onions, garlic, and the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and put the lid on. Cook on ‘High’ for 2-4 hours or ‘Low’ for 6-8 hours.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Brine the pork. For extra moisture, brine the pork shoulder in salt water for 1-2 hours, then rinse it and pat it dry before seasoning.
- Bring the meat to room temperature. This is my #1 hack for cooking a large roast. By bringing the meat to room temp, it’ll cook quicker and more evenly.
- Prefer extra crispy meat? Broil it for 3-5 minutes before removing it from the oven, or sauté single servings in a skillet until a nice crust develops.
Variations
- Add citrus. I left this out because it’s not traditional, but many recipes call for orange juice for its sweetness and acidity. I’d add no more than ½ cup of juice per 2 pounds of pork.
- Give it some heat. Add a dash of chili powder.
Storage instructions
To store: Let the pork cool completely, place it in an airtight container, and keep it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To freeze: Place the cooled pork in individual freezer-safe containers and freeze for 3 months.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers in a covered dish in the oven or stove over medium heat. Add a splash of water or broth to the meat to reheat it.
Frequently asked questions
Everyone has their own secret ingredient, and mine is salsa. I find it adds flavor and essential acidity which helps to break down the meat and add complementary flavors.
Al pastor is cooked on an open spit or grill with a tangy flavor from guajillo chiles and pineapple (see my pork al pastor). Carnitas, on the other hand, is roasted and has a more savory flavor from paprika and garlic powder.
More juicy pork roast recipes
Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)
Video
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pork shoulder boneless
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion sliced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 6 large bay leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 140C/275F. Rub the taco seasoning all over the pork, ensuring all the exterior is coated.
- Add the oil to a large skillet or deep pot and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the pork and cook on all sides until brown.
- Transfer the seared pork to a large baking dish. Top with the onion, garlic, salsa, and bay leaves, and drizzle the stock.
- Cover the baking dish with tin foil and cook for 6 hours.
- Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes before shredding.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally updated May 2023, updated and republished November 2024
I bought all ingredients when I saw this Mexican dish really. Just sont have taco. Is that a problem?
This is hands down the best carnitas recipe I’ve ever tasted!
Great recipe!! So easy and my picky son loved it!! He said it’s better than Chipotle’s carnitas!
LOVE that!!!!
Hi! What is the amount for the packet taco seasoning if I use your recipe for the taco seasoning mix?
Hi! It is one ounce 🙂
Absolutely delish! I modified the recipe to be cooked in an instant pot, so I doubled the broth and used 3/4 cup salsa. It is SO good!
Can I make this with pork tenderloin?
I’d be wary of doing that as tenderloin is quite lean.
It was so good everyone in the family loved them.
Can I do this in the slow cooker?
I don’t see why not 🙂
Thank you for all your recipes and the time you take to post them.