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Pork carnitas tacos sprinkled with cotija cheese, cilantro, and jalapenos on a rusted sheet pan.
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4.75 from 20 votes

Perfect Dutch Oven Carnitas

These Pork Carnitas are made EASY and mostly hands-free in the Dutch oven! They are seasoned with authentic Mexican flavors, cooked low and slow until fall-apart tender, then popped under a broiler until perfectly crispy and golden. This carnitas meat makes excellent tacos, burritos, bowls, and more. Plus it's an amazing make-ahead and freezer-friendly dinner!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Finishing Time30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 45 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 6 (about 18 tacos)
Calories: 431kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 (3.5-4 lb) boneless pork butt or 5-6 lb bone-in pork butt
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 onion peeled and halved
  • 2 tablespoon lime juice
  • 2 oranges juiced and spent halves saved
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon pepper plus more to taste

Optional for Tacos

  • 18 corn tortillas warmed
  • Lime wedges
  • Red onion diced
  • Cilantro chopped
  • Cotija cheese
  • Avocado
  • Salsa of choice

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300°
  • Trim and cut the meat: Trim the thick fat cap on the meat to ⅛ inch thick, leaving the rest of the fat. (Yes, it is very fatty… don’t worry, we are going to cook the extra fat off later). Remove the bone from the meat if needed, then cut the meat into 2-inch chunks.
    1 (3.5-4 lb) boneless pork butt
  • Add to Dutch Oven: Add the pork, water, onion, lime juice, orange juice, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to a 6.5 qt or larger Dutch oven. Add the spent orange halves on top.
    2 cups water, 1 onion, 2 tablespoon lime juice, 2 oranges, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
  • Simmer: Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
  • Cook in the oven: Once simmering, cover pot with lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2-3.5 hours, or until the meat is tender and falls apart easily when prodded with a fork. At the 1 hour mark remove the pot from the oven and flip the pieces of meat, bringing the pieces from the bottom to the top and vice versa.
  • Reduce the sauce: Once tender, remove the meat from the pot and onto a cutting board. Discard the bay leaves. Then place the pot with the remaining juices on the stove over medium-high heat. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened, syrupy, and a rubber spatula leaves a trail when dragged across the bottom of the pot (about 20-25 minutes). You should have about 1 cup of liquid remaining.
  • Shred the meat: While the sauce is reducing, use two forks to shred each chunk into 3 pieces (2 pieces if the chunk is small).
  • Toss meat and liquids: Toss the shredded meat with the reduced liquids until the meat is well coated. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
  • Broil: Line a sheet pan with foil, then place a wire rack on top of the sheet pan. Spread the meat across the wire rack. Then place on the middle rack in the oven and broil for 4-7 minutes, or until the edges are golden and crispy. Flip the meat and broil again for 4-7 minutes.
  • Serve: Serve hot with warm tortillas and toppings. Enjoy!
    18 corn tortillas, Lime wedges, Red onion, Cilantro, Cotija cheese, Avocado, Salsa of choice

Notes

Tips & Tricks
  • Cut the cubes of meat into equal sizes so they cook evenly.  
  • Pork butt rarely comes in exactly the right size… if yours is just a little too large, just add a sprinkle of extra spices and a bit more water until it covers the meat. It doesn’t have to be exact - this recipe is very forgiving! 
  • Make sure to cook the meat until it is truly tender. If it doesn't shred or start falling apart when prodded with a fork you need to cook it longer. Don’t worry, it is hard to overcook this meat.
 
Make Ahead Instructions
Follow the recipe as written through step 8. Instead of broiling, store the shredded, sauce-coated meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to eat, line a cookie sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Spread the meat onto the rack and re-heat in a 350° oven until warm (about 10-20 minutes depending on how much you are reheating). Once warm, broil as directed to get the edges crispy.
 
Freezer Instructions
Follow the recipe as written through step 8. Instead of broiling, store the shredded, sauce-coated meat in an airtight container or zipper bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. 
When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter until thaw. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Spread the meat onto the rack and re-heat in a 350° oven until warm (about 10-20 minutes depending on how much you are reheating). Once warm, broil as directed to get the edges crispy.

Nutrition

Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 590mg | Potassium: 1149mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 114IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 4mg