Stovetop Pork Carnitas Recipe

Tender and juicy pork carnitas are slowly simmered in sweet pineapple and lime juice, then crisped to perfection. Ready in just over 3 hours, these carnitas are a flavor-packed favorite for taco night topped with herby cilantro and onions!

Why I Love This Juicy and Crispy Pork

Jorge and I love hosting taco nights, and these pork carnitas are a staple at our gatherings. Juicy and tender pork is infused with flavor from the pineapple, jalapeños, and lime juice as they are slow cooked on the stove top. Once the liquid cooks away, we fry them in the rendered fat until they have perfectly crisp edges. Here’s why I love this carnitas recipe:

• So Flavorful: The pineapple juice adds a subtle sweetness that complements the savory pork, while the garlic, lime juice, fresh jalapeño and cumin bring more authentic Mexican flavor.
• Effortless: Don’t let the longer cook time fool you! I let everything simmer away for 2 hours, only stirring at the very end to make the carnitas crispy!
• Versatile: Serve the carnitas in tacos, burritos, rice bowls, hearty Mexican sandwiches and so much more.
• Make Ahead: Make a big batch and enjoy leftovers throughout the week, or freeze and reheat on days when you don’t feel like cooking!

What Are Pork Carnitas?

Carnitas is a traditional Mexican dish from the state of Michoacan. It’s cubed or pulled pork that’s slowly-simmered with broth or lard until incredibly tender. To enhance the tenderness and add brightness, orange juice, lime juice, and/or pineapple juice are often added to the braising liquid.

Spices and other ingredients can include onions, jalapeños, cumin, garlic, and oregano. Once chopped or shredded, pork carnitas are often served in tacos, burritos, rice bowls, or even Bolillos to make Mexican sandwiches.

Key Ingredients

Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this carnitas recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!

• Pork: Use a pork shoulder or pork butt, leaving the fat on the pork when you cut it into cubes. The fat is needed to help fry and crisp the pork!
• Pineapple Juice: I prefer pineapple juice as it is lighter and helps break down and tenderize the meat more, but freshly squeezed orange juice can be used instead.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is best, but garlic paste is a good swap. I do not recommend using granulated garlic, it won’t give your pork that same pungent taste.
• Jalapeños: Leave the seeds in the pepper for more heat, or remove for milder heat. If you really want to increase the level of spice, swap the jalapeños for Serrano peppers.
• Cumin: Ground cumin adds a lot of depth, but taco seasoning can be used instead.

How To Make Carnitas

Letting the pork slowly cook in the garlicky pineapple juice mixture is the secret to these carnitas’ tenderness. Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and to watch the step-by-step video.

• Slowly simmer: Add all of the carnitas ingredients to a large heavy bottomed pot, like a dutch oven. Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 2 hours without stirring. No need to babysit the pot.
• Evaporate the liquid: Increase the heat and cook until all of the liquid has evaporated, leaving only the pork fat. Stirring the meat occasionally.

• Brown the pork: Fry the pork in its own fat, until slightly charred and crispy on all sides. Remove it from the heat.
• Serve and enjoy: Serve the hot and crispy carnitas as desired, in tacos, rice bowls, nachos, burritos, quesadillas, etc!

Chef’s Tips and Variations

• Marinate: For even more flavor, add the pork to a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour in 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice, 3/4 cup water, 2 teaspoons oregano, 2 tablespoons lime juice and 10 cloves smashed garlic. Seal the bag, shake well, and marinate it overnight in the fridge. Discard the excess marinade before cooking.
• Spice it up: Add 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1/2 tablespoon onion powder, 3 teaspoons smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the recipe for a more complex flavor profile.
• Add more aromatics: Cut a large white or yellow onion into quarters and place it in the pot. Add a bay leaf. Cook as usual, stirring occasionally as the meat simmers so they release all their flavor.
• Add beer: Swap half of the water in the recipe for a lager beer. It’ll add some malty goodness to each bite, giving the carnitas a good depth of flavor.
• Crockpot: I have a recipe for slow cooker carnitas and instant pot carnitas if you prefer to use these kitchen appliances instead!
• Shred it: Use two forks and pull them in opposite directions to shred the meat as thinly as you want.

Ways To Serve With Pork Carnitas

These juicy pork carnitas are a great taco night dinner with warm corn tortillas. You can also roll them up in flour tortillas with rice and refried beans for an easy burrito. Here are some more tasty pairing ideas:

• Appetizers: Try some authentic guacamole or this addictive taco beer cheese dip with tortilla chips!
• Taco Toppings: Besides all the traditional toppings, I love topping my carnitas with this fresh corn salsa. Regular salsa or this refreshing mango slaw are also great options.
• Sides: Serve them over Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice for a bowl-style meal. Don’t forget the beans, try my charro beans or Mexican beans.

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