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Tender and Crispy Stovetop Pork Carnitas

Shredded Mexican Spiced Pork On a Brown Plate with Wood Tongs and a Chopped Cilantro garnish.
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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.

Ingredients

  • 3 lb boneless pork shoulder
  • 1 tsp ground chipotle chili powder
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 3 garlic cloves, rough chunk
  • 1 onion, chunked
  • ½ juicy fresh lime, juiced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • water to cover pork shoulder by ~ 2 inches
  • 1/3 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).

Find it online: https://eatsimplefood.com/pork-carnitas/