This easy homemade carnitas recipe is your go-to for tender, juicy, and crispy shredded pork. Made from scratch with just a handful of simple ingredients, it’s perfect for tacos, tostadas, nachos, and more. The pork is slow-cooked until melt-in-your-mouth tender, then crisped in its own fat for that signature golden finish.
My love for Mexican food runs deep, and carnitas have a permanent place on my favorites list. I first tried it at a local Mexican restaurant, served on sopes, and I’ve been hooked ever since. What makes carnitas so special is the simplicity, the seasoning is minimal, which lets the rich pork flavor really shine. It’s proof that sometimes the best recipes are the most straightforward.
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If you like this Carnitas recipe you might also like this popular Spanish Rice recipe and these Birria Tacos recipe.
The ingredients here are simple but trust me, the pork will be flavorful!
Tips For Making Carnitas
- Take the time to brown each piece of meat and let the fat render for the best flavor.
- Allow the water to fully evaporate, leaving the fat behind in the bottom of the pan.
- Add the shredded pork back in and let it crisp up in all that rich, flavorful fat. This is where the magic happens.
How To Crisp Up Carnitas
There are a few ways to get that perfect crispy texture on your carnitas, and I’ve tried them all. One popular method is to shred the pork, spread it out on a sheet pan, and broil it in the oven until it crisps up.
Another option is to add oil to a hot skillet and pan-fry the shredded pork until golden and crispy. Both work well, but my favorite method is to let the pork crisp up in the pot as it finishes cooking. After shredding, I return it to the pot with the rendered fat and cook it until golden and crispy.
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📖 Recipe
Carnitas
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork butt cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ large onion large diced
- 6 cloves garlic crushed
- As Needed water
Instructions
- Season the pork pieces all over with the salt and pepper.
- Heat a large dutch oven or pot over medium high heat. Add in the olive oil and begin browning the meat, working in batches if needed. Do not over crowd the pan, the meat will steam instead of brown.
- Once all of the meat is browned add in the onion and garlic. Cover the meat ½ way with water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 ½ hours.
- After 1 ½ hours, remove the lid and continue simmering (uncovered) on low for 1 hour or until the meat is tender and the liquid has evaporated. The fat that has rendered from the meat should be left.
- Remove the pork and shred. Add back to the pot and turn the heat to medium. If there is not enough rendered fat left in the pot, you can add in oil as needed.
- Crisp up the pork until it reaches your desired crispness. Enjoy!
Notes
- Take the time to brown each piece of meat and let the fat render for the best flavor.
- Allow the water to fully evaporate, leaving the fat behind in the bottom of the pan.
- Add the shredded pork back in and let it crisp up in all that rich, flavorful fat. This is where the magic happens.
Julia H says
I made this for my dad's birthday and he loved it! A keeper for sure!
Simply Scratch Made says
That's wonderful!