Pork carnitas are simple. Cut up the pork butt, add a few spices, and a lime. Pop them into the oven for a slow roast—no big fuss or mess. Have one of your favorites at home today.
Introduction
One of our standard restaurant meals is carnitas. If you are unaware of this Mexican classic, they are basically chunks of pork butt cooked with seasoning.
Also known as "little meats," and sometimes called Mexican pulled pork, they can be found on the street in Mexico cooking in large vats of lard. Not a good option for us home-cooking Yankees.
I have done carnitas multiple ways (never in lard). The most common method that I see recommended is braising chuck of pork butt in a spiced-up fluid of some type and then cooking off the liquid either on the stovetop or in an oven.
That method works nicely but is a fair amount of work and makes a heck of a mess. I have done this a number of times (not published), and it was very tasting. But the work to food ratio was high for me.
There is a much easier method, and the major issue, which is the horrible mess I usually make at home, is gone.
My Rating
Low 5 or high 4 range. Much of the fat drains due to the rack, so the "greasy factor" is markedly decreased.
🐖Pork Butt
Like many cuts of meat, there are multiple names about the same thing. Pork butt, Boston butt, and Pork shoulder are the same in common usage.
A "real" pork shoulder is really the thinner area of this cut but is commonly cooked and used the same as the butt, but usually, the term pork shoulder is used interchangeably with pork butt and Boston butt.
I do suggest a boneless butt to simplify by letting the butcher cut the bone out. Just make your life easier.
♨️The Method
I needed a really simple technique. And finding a recipe to model was a major problem.
The simplest was at instructables.com, but I had a few issues. It required flipping, I felt it would probably overcook, and it was not on a rack, so the pork would cook in the drained out fat and juice, which I wanted to avoid.
My method is simple enough for the average home cook to make. So here, we cut the pork into chunks, season, spread on a rack, cover and bake for a while in a low oven then uncover for a while, almost everybody can do this.
I do suggest a boneless pork butt to simplify by letting the butcher cut the bone out, which can be more work than you appreciate.
The rack will lift the meat out of the rendered fat and improve cooking on all sides without flipping.
🧂Seasoning
The seasoning of carnitas is highly variable. It can just be salt or use lots of other spices and herbs. There may or may not be citruses like lime or orange. So season to your taste.
📖Other Carnitas Recipes
Healthier Pork Tenderloin Carnitas
Chicken Carnitas AKA Carnitas de Pollo
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat oven to 250° convection or 275° conventional.
Prepare a sheet pan with foil and a rack. Give the rack a heavy spray of PAM.
Cut a 3-4 pound boneless pork butt into about 2-inch chunks. Trim big chunks of fat only. You could do bone-in butt, but you will just be making your life harder.
Place pork in a large mixing bowl. Add the juice of one lime. Mix well. Add 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Change the seasoning if you wish.
Transfer meat to the prepared pan. Distribute evenly but largest chunks in the corners.
Cover with foil.
Roast in the preheated oven for 2 ½ hours. Remove foil and continue to roast about 2 more hours until internal temperature is 195° to 200° on the biggest pieces.
Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
📖Recipe
Easy Oven Carnitas
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds boneless pork butt
- 1 juice of lime
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250° convection or 275° conventional
- Prepare a sheet pan with foil and a rack. Give the rack a heavy spray of PAM.
- Cut a 3-4 pound boneless pork butt into about 2-inch chunks. Trim away any big chunks of fat. Place pork in a large mixing bowl. Add the juice of one lime. Mix well.
- Add 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix well.
- Transfer meat to the prepared pan. Distribute evenly but largest chunks in the corners. Cover with foil.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 2 ½ hours. Remove foil and continue to roast about 2 more hours until internal temperature is 195° to 200° on the biggest pieces.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- The recipe calls for a 3-4 pounds boneless pork butt but you can use a bigger butt with no problem. A bone-in butt is fine but just more work.
- It is important to put the thicker pieces of pork to the corners and the outside edge of the tray.
- Time estimates are based on 2 to 2 ½ inch chunks. Smaller chunks of pork will cook much faster.
- You can do this without the rack but the bottom will be setting in the fat and drainage.
- Season as you want.
- The final temperature endpoint is the most important part of this recipe. Never cook by time alone.
- Serve with tortillas and toppings of your choice.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3-4 months.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally Published October 1, 2017. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
PacifiCoast
I've tried many ways of making Carnitas, pulled pork, pork shoulder, whatever you want to call it......THIS IS IT!!!!!!!!!!
This no fail recipe has given me the keys to the kingdom. I am now the master of pulled pork sandwiches and other things pork-licious. No more nights of salivating over the pork that I've tasted in other places, NO; this is the one.
Thank you, very much, for sharing!
Nanci B
I have been looking and looking for this recipe. Trying it this weekend. I will let you know how it goes, but I have looked at enough recipes to know......This is it!!!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Nanci,
Welcome to the blog.
I think you will enjoy it.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Morgan
Made this for me and my husband earlier tonight. It came out absolutely amazing! I had a 4.5 lb pork butt and added more spices accordingly. Even the piece I sliced much thinner than the other ones came out nice and juicy.
I put the carnitas on toasted Hawaiian burger buns with spicy homemade coleslaw, some salsa verde, and melted colby jack cheese. Delicious sandwiches to prep in advance for the work week.
Thanks for posting, will be sure to use this for years to come.
DrDan
Hi Morgan,
Welcome to the blog.
I seem to always do "good" with pork butt. But I think it is a meat that just comes out great as long as you do the "low and slow" think. I usually order carnitas in Mexican restraints but this is a good substitute.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Elizabeth
I did this, it was heavenly. I used a quarter cup red wine and juice from one lime, overnight then drained right before it went in the oven. I'm definitely doing it again.
Emeline
Hello can i use pork cushion instead of the pork butt and please please i like the recipe for pozole but no corn T hanks love your site!!!!!!! keep it up great !!!!
DrDan
Hi Emeline,
Welcome to the blog.
Pork cushion is a triangular muscle that is considered by some to be part of the pork butt. It is in mamy ways simular to what most think of as pork butt. I have never used it since it is just not commonly avalible around here. But it should cook about the same so I'm 95% sure it would be great.
I will look into pozole recipes... but no promises.
Thanks for the note and suggestion.
Dan
Steve
Can you freeze these? A 4 point pork shoulder makes too much for 2. Thank you.
DrDan
Hi Steve,
They should be good refrigerated for 2-3 days and about 2-3 months in a freezer.
Dan
Jennifer
Wonderful and easy to follow recipe. Will make again again. Thank you!
DrDan
Hi Jennifer,
First, sorry for the delayed reply.
I love carnitas. I have note really understood why this recipe isn't more popular but I'm glad you found it and enjoyed it.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Gus Chavez
Thank you for this beautiful dish I just made it today it was
a delicious dish. will be making it again and again tks again