The secret to perfect carnitas: a crispy crust on one side and tender meat on the other side. You need two tools to achieve this – a crock pot and a cast iron skillet. Together, these two can make magic happen on your taste buds. Make my 3-ingredient Paleo Naan – use it as a tortilla – and you’ve got one tasty taco.
I make carnitas all the time and they’re always a huge hit. This recipe though is by far my favorite. I think the it’s the combination of orange and lime juice mixed with spices like cinnamon and bay leaf that make it extra awesome. This is a great dish to make when you have guests visiting – because the crock pot does all the cooking. Once you’re ready to serve, just fry the meat on high heat in your cast iron skillet and then squeeze a little fresh lime juice on top. Perfection.
I recently made these carnitas when my in-laws came to visit us in Morgantown. They’re not paleo-eaters but they loved the dish! Roby and I took the fam to Coopers Rock and to Fallingwater in nearby Union Mill, PA. It was such a lovely weekend.
When we first moved to West Virginia, we weren’t sure what to expect. We had heard all these negative things – ‘there’s nothing to do,’ ‘just a bunch of rednecks’, etc. To all our friends who have and continue to make jokes… West Virginians are the brilliant ones – they’re probably starting these rumors to keep people like us from invading this beautiful and breathtaking state.
I’m looking forward to having more friends/family visit, so that we can show them around the area and also so that we can eat these carnitas again.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper adjust to taste
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 onion coarsely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced (I used my garlic press)
- 1-2 serrano peppers minced
- 2 oranges juiced
- 1 lime juice
- 3 tablespoons ghee or as much as you need to fry your meat
Instructions
- Put the pork in a crock pot and add salt, pepper, oregano, cumin and chili powder to both sides of the meat.
- Add the onion, garlic, serrano pepper, bay leaf and cinnamon stick on top.
- Squeeze the oranges and lime on top and then cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8.
- Shred the meat with two forks. Heat ghee in a skillet and fry the meat on one side until golden and crispy.
- Reserve the juices in the crockpot and pour some on top of the meat. Squeeze lime juice on top and serve.
Marcel Lawson says
I have served this countless times for many years and WE LOVE IT! Fried OR unfried, with pork, beef or chicken….it is SUCCULENT!
Amanda says
This is my favorite! I usually just make it as pulled pork rather than frying for traditional carnitas. And most of the time I don’t have the Serrano on hand. It’s always delicious no matter what! I’ve been making it a couple of years and I’m finally here to let you know it’s a winner in my book. Everyone I’ve made it for loves it as well. It is my go to recipe and I could eat it daily…multiple times a day…. and I usually do. 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Amanda, I’m so happy to hear that you’ve been making these carnitas for a couple years now! Thank you for letting me know how much you like them 🙂
Gaby says
I just made these carnitas, and they were a huge hit! Great recipe 👏🏼
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Gaby!! That’s great to hear! I’m so happy that you liked it 🙂
Monica Cole says
This is seriously one of the best meals i have ever had. Everyone i have recommend them to agree. Thank you so much for sharing!
My Heart Beets says
Wow, thanks Monica! I’m so happy to hear that you like the recipe 🙂 And thank you for recommending my blog to others!!
Megan says
I adore this recipe and have made it many times! I intended to put it in the slow cooker before work but time ran out. If I were to cook this in the oven, what temp and time would you suggest? We love this for lettuce wraps with typical taco toppings.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Megan, I’m so glad to hear that! I haven’t tried making this in the oven so I’m not sure but if you do end up trying, please let us all know how it turns out!
Ricky says
Thank you for the recipe! It looks incredible. I’m thinking about serving it in a taco bar at a party we are hosting. Do you have any recommendations on how we could keep the carnitas both fresh and crispy, without having to fry separate servings?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Ricky, I suggest frying the carnitas and then putting them in the oven on your lowest setting to keep them nice and crisp. I’d try to do this close to party time so as not to dry out the meat. Even if it does get a little dry though, you can always just drizzle the sauce from the meat overtop before serving. Let me know how this turns out!
Mitchell says
So I’ve made this before with the Pork roast and it was amazing! This morning I decided to get a butt roast from the store to make more (seeing as three pounds wasn’t enough to feed my hollow legged boyfriend). However, upon inspection of the meat, which I had already unwrapped, I noticed it was 10 POUNDS of butt! This is a butt of Kardashian proportions! So, I figured that a rough multiplying of the ingredients by three would work, but now I’m wondering about the cooking time. Any thoughts?
Nancy says
This is the first time I’ve ever commented on a blog recipe. I wanted to make sure to give this recipe 5 stars. It’s delicious! Thanks so much for sharing it.
ps I used to live in West Virginia. It’s a beautiful state.
My Heart Beets says
Wow thanks, Nancy! I’m so happy you liked the recipe 🙂
Joy Chadwick says
Just made this recipe, absolutely delish! I added an extra Serrano chili, a little more salt and garlic but my goodness, super great recipe!
Joy ❤️❤️❤️
My Heart Beets says
Joy, so glad you like the recipe!! 🙂