This stovetop pork carnitas recipe is easy, versatile, and tender. Boil pork shoulder on the stovetop for 1 ½ -2 hours until tender. Optional: crisp up carnitas in the oven for about 10 minutes at 450F if you want them crispy.
Cooking Variations For Stove Top Pork Carnitas
Don't want the hassle of the stovetop to oven method for this pork carnitas recipe? Cool, skip crisping the carnitas up in the oven.
The pork carnitas will be so tender after cooking on the stove top for 1 ½ - 2 hours and can be eaten without crisping them up if you prefer to eat it faster.
Want crispy carnitas? Roast the strained and shredded pork carnitas on a sheet pan for ~ 10-15 minutes at 450F or until crispy. This gives the pork some more texture and also makes some crispy caramelized bits.
Love your crockpot? Cool, throw the pork and all the remaining ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Looking for a quick and fast carnitas recipe? Use diced pork tenderloin instead with the remaining ingredients. Cook pork tenderloin on the stove top in a skillet in a matter of 5-10 minutes.
What To Serve with Stovetop Pork Carnitas
Think of carnitas as pork tacos and add your favorite fixens.
- Fresh chopped tomato salsa (AKA Pico de Gallo) or your favorite jarred salsa
- Thin sliced radishes
- Thin sliced iceberg lettuce
- Guacamole or avocado
- Fresh chopped fruit like pineapple or mango
- Fresh cilantro
- corn & tomato salad
- tortillas - corn or wheat, hard or soft
- Mexican Cole Slaw Dip
What Cut of Pork is Used For Carnitas?
Pork Shoulder. Pork shoulder can also be called Boston butt (the top part of the shoulder) or Picnic shoulder (the lower part of the shoulder towards the leg).
Picnic is a little tougher but either shoulder cut can be used for pork carnitas. Don't let the name "butt" confuse you. It's not the rear end, it's the shoulder in this case 🙂
Either cut of pork shoulder can be used interchangeably in this stovetop carnitas recipe.
What To Do with the Leftover Pork Carnitas Broth?
The carnitas broth should be delicious, especially if you continue to simmer another 20 minutes after straining the pork.
Save the stock to rehydrate the pork if you overcook it in the oven. I like to add a cup or two of the pork broth to any leftovers because it's concentrated goodness adds more flavor to the pork.
I have also cooked pasta or ramen noodles in the pork stock. Use it like chicken or vegetable broth.
Stovetop Pork Carnitas Recipe FAQS
So simple. Add the pork broth that you cooked the carnitas in initially and let it sit at least 20-30 minutes.
Yup! Cook carnitas on low for 6-8 hours in the crockpot. Follow general instant pot settings for tough cuts of meat.
Either works. Boneless is easier to chop up but adding the bone to the broth will give it extra flavor.
Yup! Traditionally pork carnitas are made with fresh orange and not lime. Knock it out. It will be amazing!
Pork proteins can denature when cooked super duper hot. I'm no chemist or biologist to be able to explain it. Just turn down the heat and skim off the foam or mix it in (it's harmless).
Tender and Crispy Stovetop Pork Carnitas
EatSimpleFood.com
This stovetop Mexican pork carnitas recipe is easy, versatile, and tender. Boil pork shoulder on the stovetop for 1 ½ -2 hours until tender. Optional: crisp up carnitas in the oven for about 10 minutes at 450F if you want them crispy.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Crockpot / Instapot / Braised
- Cuisine: Spanish
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 3 lb boneless pork shoulder
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 garlic cloves, rough chunk
- 1 onion, chunked
- ½ juicy fresh lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- water to cover pork shoulder by ~ 2 inches
- ⅓ cup cilantro, chopped - optional as garnish
- 12 corn tortillas
Instructions
- Place pork shoulder, chipotle powder, bay leaves, oregano, cumin, garlic, onions, lime juice and lime half, water, salt, and black pepper in a stockpot.
- Bring to a boil covered, lower heat to a simmer, and cook 1 ½ - 2 hours or until pork is fork tender and falling apart.
- Remove pork from stockpot with strainer. Optional : continue to reduce / simmer stock another 20 minutes uncovered for an over the top broth or to store leftovers in.
- Let pork cool slightly before pulling carnitas apart with fork or with hands.
- Optional step: Spread out strained pulled pork on a sheet pan and cook uncovered at 450F for ~ 10-15 minutes (watching carefully) until crispy.
- Add a little pork stock if they cooked a little too much for your liking or if you have leftovers and want them to remain tender.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro. Add to warm tortillas to make tacos.
Notes
- Cooked the carnitas too long trying to get it crispy and it dried out? Moisten them back up by adding the pork broth that you cooked the carnitas in initially and let it sit at least 20-30 minutes to rehydrate.
- Pork carnitas can be cooked on low for 6-8 hours in the crockpot. Follow general instant pot settings for tough cuts of meat.
- Pork proteins can denature when cooked super duper hot. I'm no chemist or biologist able to explain it so just turn down the heat or skim off the foam or mix it in (it's harmless).
Serving Suggestion
Serve these tender stovetop carnitas recipe with a corn and tomato salad, a tomato salsa, guacamole or cole slaw.
You May Also Like
If you like the Mexican inspired flavors of stove top carnitas, you may like these recipes (can you tell I love tacos?!)
Things In My Kitchen:
- Crock-pot - It's 6 quarts, affordable, and programmable. Plus it comes with another baby crockpot.
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These recipes are delicious. My Husband is from New Mexico.and all we use is New Mexico green and red chile
Thank you fro the comment Mary - I can never get enough of New Mexico green and red Chile! I am originally from Colorado 🙂