CARNITAS TACOS

5 from 5 votes

Tender pork shoulder, braised in a flavorful citrusy broth, is crisped to perfection and served on warm tortillas with guacamole and lime. Simple, delicious, and perfect for any Taco Tuesday!

Prep Time10

Cook Time4 25

Total Time4 35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican, Southwest

Keyword: Carnitas, Carnitas tacos, Dutch oven recipes, Pork butt, Pork shoulder, Pork tacos, Tacos

Servings:

Author: Olivia Adriance

Ingredients

Pork:

4 pounds boneless or bone-in pork butt/shoulder
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper

Braising Liquid:

2 cups chicken bone broth
½ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves

For Serving:

Corn tortillas
Guacamole
Fresh lime
Fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Whisk together the braising liquid ingredients (bone broth, orange juice, lime juice, dried oregano, cumin, and garlic), except for the bay leaves, in a small bowl and set aside.
Cut your pork into large (4-inch) chunks and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
Place pork in a large Dutch oven or casserole dish and scatter the chopped onions on top.
Pour the braising liquid over the pork and onions and nestle the bay leaves into the liquid.
Cover and braise in the oven for 1 hour per pound of pork. (A 4-pound pork butt would therefore take around 4 hours).
Remove the pork from the oven after cooking and raise the oven temp to 425°F.
While the oven is coming to temperature, shred the pork. (You will notice that most of the braising liquid was absorbed into the pork. If there is still quite a bit of liquid, then you can remove some of it so that the pork can crisp up in the next step).
Leaving the cover off, return the pork to the oven for 25 minutes. Start checking the crispiness around 18 to 20 minutes to ensure the pork gets crispy without totally drying it out.
Serve on corn tortillas with fresh guacamole, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime, and ENJOY!

Notes

Carnitas are the ideal meal to make in advance. Simply cook following the instructions and heat up on a pan for individual servings or reheat in the Dutch oven for the crowd. Any excess fat that you see can be skimmed off using a spoon. Carnitas last up to four days in the fridge or a few months in the freezer.

Nutrition