Juicy and crispy, tender Mexican pulled pork is one of my absolute favorite dinners, and best of all? This easy carnitas recipe can be cooked 3 ways: in a slow-cooker, Dutch oven, or an Instant Pot.
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4-inch pieces
Categories
dinner
dairy-free
gluten-free
low-carb
whole-30
kid-friendly
pressure-cooker
slow-cooker
Cuisine
Mexican
Steps
Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position.
In a large Dutch oven, combine the bay leaves, oregano, chili powder, kosher salt, cumin, pepper, cayenne pepper, onion, orange juice and rind, lime juice and chicken stock.
Nestle in the meat, cover, and roast for 2½ to 3 hours or until the pork is very tender and can be pulled apart easily with a fork. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a large baking dish or rimmed sheet pan, discarding any large pieces of fat. Use two forks to shred the pork into 1-inch pieces. Generously brush the meat with reserved liquid.
Turn on the broiler. Broil the shredded meat until the edges are crispy and caramelized, 5-8 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and using a spatula, flip the meat over. Broil for 5 more minutes, or until crispy on top.
Use the carnitas as desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Nutitrion
Calories: 293 calories
Carbohydrates: 4 grams carbohydrates
Protein: 27 grams protein
Fat: 19 grams fat
Saturated Fat: 6 grams saturated fat
Cholesterol: 84 milligrams cholesterol
Sodium: 433 milligrams sodium
Sugar: 2 grams sugar
Reviews
Hannah Baylock on 2026-03-15 (5 stars): This is the best carnitas and my favorite way to cook a pork butt. I've made it several times since discovering this recipe a couple of months ago and it's been perfect every time.
Great easy recipie on 2026-02-25 (5 stars): Great recipe. I also love to add a diced jalapeño (with or without seeds depending on how spicy you like it)
Melissa Eells on 2026-02-11 (5 stars): Absolutely DELICIOUS!!!
I cooked it in the Dutch oven and made burrito bowls with this. Next time, I think I'll make tacos, or maybe nachos, or maybe??? Who knows, but I'm definitely making it again!!
Delicious, already passed on the recipe to my daughter and daughter in law!!
Jess Strathman on 2026-02-03 (4 stars): These turned out AMAZING. Super easy to follow and cook and tasted phenomenal.
Jamie on 2026-01-31 (5 stars): Delicious and easy! I seasoned w/ salt browned the meat beforehand and used a Dutch oven :)
Mark on 2025-12-22 (5 stars): I never write reviews, but this recipe is fantastic. Thanks for sharing
Carla Arellano on 2025-12-21 (5 stars): This was delicious! After reading one comment about adding dried red chiles I did just that...toasted, soaked, blended and strained. The gravy in the pot was so good we spooned it over polenta.
Thank you!
ROXANNE REEVES on 2025-12-18 (5 stars): quick and easy recipe. I cooked it on the stove. This recipe is a keeper. the juice was delicious and I am using it to cook the rice. That was a comment by another cook, who also left a 5 star review.
Maria on 2025-12-06 (5 stars): I loved your recipe. I added one cinnamon stick which was truly captivating. I kept the juices and used some of it to cook the rice. The rest, I plan to use it in soups, green beans, yellow squash, etc. Will follow you for you are inspiring me to get back to cooking---- I am 86 and healthy
Ken Emerson on 2025-10-12 (5 stars): I have used this recipe as my base for carnitas since the covid shutdowns. The only change I have made is instead of using the powdered spices, I use a mixture of dried chilies, toasted, braised in chicken stock and then blend them in a blender. Using chilies allows me to decide how spicy it will be - either a low, smokey kick or an intense after kick that sneaks up on you that you finally notice after wiping the beads of sweat from your forehead.
