Orange-Braised Carnitas Tacos

Name: Orange-Braised Carnitas Tacos
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 3 h 10 min
Total time: 3 h 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 lb (1360 g) boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks, large fat caps trimmed to ¼ inch (6 mm) but not removed; 1 tbsp (9 g) kosher salt; 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin; 2 tsp (2 g) dried oregano, preferably Mexican; 1 tbsp (14 ml) neutral oil or lard; 12 oz (340 g) large yellow onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges through the root; 6 cloves (18 g) garlic cloves, smashed and peeled; 1 whole (230 g) large navel orange, halved; juiced (about ½ cup / 120 ml juice), keeping both squeezed halves; 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 lime; 2 whole (1 g) dried bay leaves; ½ cup (120 ml) water; 16 6-inch tortillas (400 g) corn tortillas, fresh or store-bought; ½ cup (80 g) white onion, finely diced; ½ cup (20 g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped; 2 whole (130 g) limes, cut into 8 wedges total; 1 cup (240 ml) salsa verde or your favorite salsa (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chunks of pork shoulder braise slowly with orange, lime, onion and warm spices until spoon-tender, then get crisped under the broiler so the edges turn golden and crackly while the centers stay juicy. Piled into warm corn tortillas with onion, cilantro and lime, they are a crowd-pleasing weekend project that is mostly hands-off.

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 3 hr 10 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 4 hr 30 min
Makes: 16 tacos (about 5 cups shredded pork)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the carnitas
3 lb (1360 g) boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks, large fat caps trimmed to ¼ inch (6 mm) but not removed
1 tbsp (9 g) kosher salt
1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin
2 tsp (2 g) dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1 tbsp (14 ml) neutral oil or lard
12 oz (340 g) large yellow onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges through the root
6 cloves (18 g) garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 whole (230 g) large navel orange, halved; juiced (about ½ cup / 120 ml juice), keeping both squeezed halves
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 lime
2 whole (1 g) dried bay leaves
½ cup (120 ml) water
For serving
16 6-inch tortillas (400 g) corn tortillas, fresh or store-bought
½ cup (80 g) white onion, finely diced
½ cup (20 g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
2 whole (130 g) limes, cut into 8 wedges total
1 cup (240 ml) salsa verde or your favorite salsa (optional)

Equipment (7)

5½- to 7-quart (5- to 6.5-L) Dutch oven with lid
Rimmed baking sheet, 18×13-inch (46×33 cm)
Fine-mesh strainer
Fat separator or wide spoon for skimming
Two forks or tongs for shredding
Large skillet or cast-iron comal, 10–12 inch (25–30 cm)
Sharp knife and cutting board

Steps

Before you start

Pork needs 30 minutes at room temperature after seasoning, and the braise takes 2½ to 3 hours, so plan on about 4½ hours start to finish.
Position one oven rack in the lower third for the braise. For the crisping step you will move a rack about 6 inches (15 cm) below the broiler.
Use a Dutch oven or heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, 5½ to 7 quarts (5 to 6.5 L). The pork should fit in a snug, mostly single layer.
Salt amounts are for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton kosher salt, use 2 teaspoons (10 g); for fine table salt use 1½ teaspoons (9 g).

1
Season the porkOven 300°F / 150°C
- Pat the pork chunks dry with paper towels.
- In a large bowl, toss the pork with the kosher salt, black pepper, cumin and oregano until every piece is evenly coated.
- Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes while you prep the aromatics and preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) with a rack in the lower third.
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Ready when: Pork looks evenly speckled with spices and the surface is slightly damp
Tip: Dry meat browns; wet meat steams. Pat it dry before seasoning.
2
Sear the pork
- Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Add half the pork in a single layer with space between pieces.
- Sear without moving for 3 to 4 minutes, then turn and sear the other sides for 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining pork.
- Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat if the pot looks very greasy.
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Ready when: Pork is deep golden-brown on at least two sides and releases easily from the pot
Tip: Don't crowd the pot. Crowding drops the temperature and the pork turns gray instead of browning.
3
Build the braise
- Turn the heat to medium.
- Add the onion wedges and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits.
- Pour in the orange juice, lime juice and water, scraping the bottom clean.
- Return the pork and any juices to the pot.
- Tuck in the bay leaves and the two squeezed orange halves, cut side down.
- The liquid should come about one-third of the way up the pork.
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Ready when: Liquid is bubbling gently and the browned bits have dissolved from the bottom of the pot
Tip: Keep the liquid shallow. The pork should braise and steam, not boil, so the flavor stays concentrated.
4
Braise in the ovenOven 300°F / 150°C
- Bring the liquid to a simmer on the stove, cover with the lid, and transfer to the 300°F (150°C) oven.
- Braise for 2½ to 3 hours, turning the pork pieces once at about the 1½-hour mark.
- The pork is ready when a piece slumps and shreds with very little pressure from a fork, and the internal temperature is about 195–205°F (90–96°C).
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Ready when: Fork slides into the pork with no resistance and the meat falls apart when nudged
Tip: If the pork still resists after 2½ hours, keep cooking and check every 20 minutes. Toughness means it needs more time, not more heat.
5
Rest in the juices
- Remove the pot from the oven and heat the broiler later; for now leave the lid on and let the pork rest in its liquid for 15 minutes so it reabsorbs moisture and becomes easier to handle.
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Ready when: Pork is cool enough to touch without discomfort
Tip: Use oven mitts: the pot handles and lid stay very hot for a long time.
6
Shred and reduce juices
- Use tongs to move the pork to a large bowl.
- Discard the bay leaves and orange halves.
- Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium saucepan, pressing on the onion and garlic, then skim off the fat and save 3 tablespoons of it.
- Simmer the liquid over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes until reduced to about ¾ cup (180 ml).
- Meanwhile, shred the pork into bite-size pieces with two forks, discarding any large pieces of unrendered fat.
- Toss the pork with ¼ cup (60 ml) of the reduced liquid.
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Ready when: Liquid is syrupy and coats the back of a spoon, reduced to roughly ¾ cup
Tip: Shred into chunky, irregular pieces. Pieces that are too fine dry out and burn under the broiler.
7
Crisp under the broilerOven 500°F / 260°C
- Move an oven rack about 6 inches (15 cm) below the broiler and heat the broiler to high (500°F / 260°C).
- Spread the shredded pork on the rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and drizzle with the 3 tablespoons of reserved fat and ¼ cup (60 ml) more of the reduced liquid.
- Broil for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring and flipping the pork once halfway, until the edges are browned and crisp.
- Watch closely.
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Ready when: Edges are deep mahogany and crackly while the interior stays moist
Tip: Broilers vary widely. Stay by the oven because the sugars from the orange can go from browned to burnt in under a minute.
8
Warm the tortillas
- While the pork broils or right after, heat a large skillet or comal over medium-high heat.
- Warm the tortillas one or two at a time for 30 to 45 seconds per side until soft, pliable and flecked with brown spots.
- Stack them in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm and steamy.
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Ready when: Tortillas are soft and bend without cracking, with light brown spots
Tip: Double up two tortillas per taco if yours are thin, so they don't tear under the juicy pork.
9
Assemble and serve
- Stir the crisped pork with a few spoonfuls of the remaining reduced liquid to re-moisten it.
- Fill each tortilla with about ⅓ cup (about 50 g) of pork, then top with diced white onion, cilantro and a spoonful of salsa verde if using.
- Serve at once with lime wedges for squeezing.
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Ready when: Pork is hot, glossy at the edges and crisp in places
Tip: Serve immediately; the crisp edges soften as the pork sits.

Good to know

Tips

Don't trim all the fat off the pork. It bastes the meat during the braise and gives you rendered fat to crisp the carnitas.
Salt the pork ahead of time. Even 30 minutes helps season it, and up to 12 hours uncovered in the fridge gives deeper flavor.
For extra-crisp carnitas, finish the pork in a hot cast-iron skillet in batches with a spoonful of the reserved fat instead of broiling.
Taste the shredded pork before serving; if the flavor seems flat, add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime.

Make ahead

"Braise the pork through step 6 up to 3 days ahead. Store the shredded pork and the reduced liquid separately in the fridge, then crisp under the broiler (step 7) just before serving, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes since the pork is cold."

Storage & reheating

Cool leftovers within 2 hours. Refrigerate pork with some of its juices in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months in portions with juices. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a hot skillet over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or spread on a baking sheet and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, until hot (165°F / 74°C) and crisp. Tortillas are best fresh.

Substitutions

boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt) → bone-in pork shoulder (3½–4 lb / 1.6–1.8 kg). Leave in larger chunks and remove the bone before shredding. Add about 15 minutes to the braise.
large navel orange → ½ cup (120 ml) orange juice plus 1 strip of orange zest. Use fresh-squeezed or not-from-concentrate juice; skip the squeezed halves.
neutral oil or lard → lard. Lard gives a more traditional, richer flavor.
corn tortillas → small flour tortillas. Warm them the same way; they are larger, so make about 12 tacos.