Carnitas Tacos

Carnitas, Spanish for "little meats," hail from Michoacán, where pork shoulder is slow-cooked until meltingly tender. Bright orange and warm spices perfume the meat before it crisps and tucks into warm corn tortillas.

Serves 4

Estimate for one serving

• 520 cal
• 32g protein
• 38g carbs
• 27g fat
• 5g fiber

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs pork shoulder (pork butt)
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 4 cloves garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 medium orange
• 1 medium white onion
• 1/2 cup water
• 12 small (street-taco size) corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup finely diced (for serving) white onion
• 1/2 cup chopped (for serving) fresh cilantro
• 2 wedges per serving lime

Instructions

1. 1Cut the pork shoulder into 2-inch chunks, trimming off large pieces of fat but leaving some for flavor.
2. 2In a large bowl, toss the pork chunks with kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and ground cumin until evenly coated.
3. 3Smash the garlic cloves and add them to a large Dutch oven or heavy pot along with the seasoned pork, bay leaves, and the juice from medium orange (add the spent orange halves to the pot for extra flavor).
4. 4Pour in water, stir once, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
5. 5Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 2 hours, stirring once halfway through, until the pork is very tender and can be easily shredded with a fork.
6. 6Remove the lid, increase heat to medium, and cook uncovered for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the pork begins to fry in its own rendered fat.
7. 7Use two forks to shred the pork into bite-sized pieces directly in the pot, then continue cooking and stirring for another 10-15 minutes until the edges are golden and crispy. Remove from heat.
8. 8While the carnitas crisp, warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet or directly over a low flame until soft and lightly charred.
9. 9Assemble tacos: place about 2-crispy carnitas on each tortilla, top with finely diced white onion and chopped cilantro.
10. 10Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the tacos.