I married into a big Mexican family, and one of the ways I immediately won the heart of my husband was with my fabulous carnitas recipe. Carnitas = shredded Mexican pork, tender and delicious, served up usually in corn tortillas like tacos. Get ready for the Best Carnitas Recipe Ever! Carnitas Tacos – this recipe is simple and amazing – my kids have been eating it since they were toddlers!
Hey Instant Pot peeps! I adapted this recipe for the pressure cooker and it comes out FANTASTIC – find the IP version here! Instant Pot Carnitas.
This is all you need!
Ooops, you’ll also need this.
Here’s what to do!
Cut the roast up into about six large hunks, and throw ’em in a big pot. Add the onion (I remove the top and bottom, but leave the skin on – my chef friend told me it adds more flavor? I dunno.), all the seasonings, the chipotles plus sauce, and the chicken stock. If the pork is still poking out of the water, add enough water to the pan that it’s covered.
Cover the pan, place on a high burner, and let it boil. Once it reaches a nice boil, turn your burner down to low and leave the whole thing alone for at least three hours. During this time, your house will smell AMAZING. Your children will wander in and wonder what’s cookin’. The dog will run around, sniffing the air frantically. You’re in for a fabulous dinner, and it’s already mostly ready!
After several hours have passed, turn the burner off and remove the pork hunks from the liquid with a slotted spoon, placing them into a baking dish. Use a couple of forks to shred the meat. This is what your pork roast has become:
Now it’s time to turn on your oven to 425. While that’s heating up, slice up a bunch of lime and cilantro. You might want to make a little guacamole, too, if that’s your thing. I’ve even been known to make a pico de gallo to go along with this dish. Do what works for you, though. (I have some bomb-ass salsa recipes! Try my Restaurant-Style Salsa and Avocado Tomatillo Crema!)
Once your oven is hot, place your baking dish of delightfully shredded pork into the oven for about ten minutes – just long enough to give it a hint of crispiness. After a few minutes, this is the amazingness that awaits you:
Heat up some corn tortillas and get ready to chow down! I put everything out on the table and let my husband and kiddos make their own tacos. It’s very simple: tortilla, as much pork as you like, and whatever you like on top. My kids add cheese and guacamole. My husband likes pico and lime. I just use lime and cilantro. Behold:
This one is a little on the small side, actually! Add as much or as little meat as you like.
Refried beans and Spanish rice go great with carnitas. I hope you enjoy this recipe – it’s been a favorite in our family for years and years!
