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Carnitas tacos close up on a metal platter with lime wedges.

Tacos de Carnitas (shredded pork)

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These incredibly flavorful crispy carnitas tacos are served with onions, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of bright lime. Carnitas served with corn tortillas might be the best thing that ever happened to a piece of pork shoulder. The shredded meat makes this Mexican recipe rich and succulent. I serve them with guacamole and salsa.

  • Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Units
  • 1 1/2 pound pork shoulder, cut into large pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika or chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • OR use 2 teaspoons of taco spice seasoning instead of the spices above
  • 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
  • 2 oranges
  • 6 corn tortillas
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • Fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
  2. Mix salt, spices and oregano in a bowl. Coat each piece of pork shoulder in spices on all sides.
  3. Heat the oil in a frying pan or skillet and brown the pork at high temperature on all sides, for about 2 minutes, until they're seared outside (crisp crust), while the meat remains raw inside. 
  4. Transfer the pork to a roasting pan where the pork pieces fit snugly. Add the garlic halves between the pieces. 
  5. Squeeze 1 orange and pour the orange juice over the meat. Cut the remaining orange into pieces and scatter them over the pork. Add a little more water to barely cover the pork.
  6. Cover the pan with foil and roast in the oven for about 2 hours, turning it around a few times. If after 2 hours the pork shoulder is not as soft as you want it to be (it will depend on how large the pieces are), you can cook it more.
  7. Remove from the oven, remove the foil and transfer the pork to a plate, reserving the pan juices. Using two forks, shred the pork pieces right there in the pan. Transfer the juices to a saucer or jar. 
  8. Lightly fry the tortillas on both sides, brushing them a little with the roasting juices. Place 3-4 tablespoons of pulled pork on half of the tortilla and moisten with some of the remaining roasting juices. Top with chopped onion and chopped cilantro. Squeeze over some fresh lime juice. Fold in half and arrange on a serving plattere.
  9. Serve surrounded with the remaining sauce, sour cream, black beans, avocado slices, salsa or tomato, lime wedges and fresh cilantro.

Notes

Don't be tempted to pile on too much of the shredded pork or it will be difficult to bite into the taco. 

If making the components ahead, store them before assembling the tacos. Keep the carnitas, tortillas, and toppings in separate containers to maintain freshness and prevent sogginess.

Alternative ways of cooking the pork: use a slow cooker or a large Dutch oven and proceed according to the manufacturer's instructions. 

  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Slow cooking
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Find it online: https://vintagekitchennotes.com/pork-carnitas-tacos/