Crispy Pork Carnitas Recipe for the Oven or Slow Cooker (8 Ingredients) by Donna John
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Taco night doesn't have to mean just crispy ground beef tacos (though they're delicious!). This easy pork carnitas recipe is loaded with authentic flavors and is so versatile. The budget recipe is made with a pork butt, which in an inexpensive cut of pork that can feed a large family. The crispy pork carnitas can be cooked in the oven or in your slow cooker. Perfect!
For these Mexican carnitas, you'll need a 3- to 4-pound pork butt, ground cumin, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, an onion, fresh garlic, two oranges and two limes. The pork is seasoned with the spices and put into a dutch oven or slow cooker, then the orange and lime juice is added (toss the squeeze oranges and limes into the pot, too). The meat cooks until it's fall-apart tender. To crisp it up before serving, broil the shredded meat for a few minutes (watch closely so it doesn't burn!).
Pile the crispy high-protein pork into tortillas and top with guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, roasted salsa verde, avocado tomatillo sauce or your favorite green sauce, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro and chopped onions. Use the shredded pork for tacos, burritos, enchiladas or serve with cilantro rice and refried beans.
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 to 3 1/2 hours (oven) or 4 to 8 hours (slow cooker)
Total Time: 10 minutes plus 3 to 8 hours
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 3- to 4-pound boneless pork butt
- 1 onion, cut into wedges
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 oranges, juiced and remains saved
- 2 limes, juiced and remains saved
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
Here's how to make it:
- Put the pork butt into a dutch oven or slow cooker. Season with the cumin, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Rub the seasoning into the meat to cover completely.
- Add the onion, garlic, orange and lime juice, and the remaining oranges and limes after juicing.
- If cooking in the oven, cover with a lid and bake in a preheated 300-degree F oven for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours. If cooking in a slow cooker, cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours.
- When meat is tender, shred and return to the pot. (If you want crispier carnitas, lay the shredded meat on a baking sheet and place it under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Watch it close so it doesn't burn, which happens fast.) Store any leftover pork in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave, in a dry skillet over low heat or in the oven.
Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.
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