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    🏠Home » Recipes » Mexican Recipes

    Oven Baked Carnitas

    Sep 17, 2020 · Modified: Jan 30, 2023 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 13 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.24 from 25 votes

    Pork carnitas are simple. Cut up a pork butt, coat it with lime and add a few spices. Pop them into the oven for slow roasting—no big fuss or mess. Crispy, tender, and flavorful, you can make perfect carnitas tacos at home.

    carmita taco in a hand
    Jump To:
    • 😊Why you should make this recipe
    • 🐖Ingredients
    • 👨‍🍳How to bake carnitas
    • ✔️Tips
    • What are Carnitas?
    • ❓FAQs
    • ❄️Storage and reheating leftovers
    • 📖Other Carnitas Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • Recipe
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    😊Why you should make this recipe

    • Carnitas are a standard in every Mexican restaurant. If you are not familiar with them, think of them as Mexican pulled pork
    • It makes wonderful carnitas tacos but has many other uses.
    • This low-and-slow method is perfect for home cooks. With easy prep and 4-5 hours in the oven.
    • It uses pork butt, which will give the most tender results.

    🐖Ingredients

    • Pork butt—boneless
    • Lime—or lime juice
    • Spices—chili powder, cumin, kosher salt, pepper

    👨‍🍳How to bake carnitas

    1. Trim and cut a pork butt into 2-inch cubes.
    2. Place the pork into a large bowl, squeeze a lime over the pork and add the spices. Stir to coat.
    3. Place on a baking tray with a rack and cover with foil.
    4. Bake for 2 ½ hours, remove the foil, then bake for about 2 hours more to an internal temperature of 195° to 200° on the biggest pieces.
    5. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

    ✔️Tips

    • Pork butt and Boston butt are the same. But pork shoulder (AKA picnic shoulder or picnic) is further down the front leg. It is also leaner, so it is better used as a roast or ham. Many people get the difference confused. For more info, see more at American Test Kitchen.
    • Use a boneless pork butt to simplify your life by letting the butcher cut the bone out, which can be more work than you appreciate.
    • Use a rack to lift the meat out of the rendered fat and improve cooking on all sides without flipping.

    What are Carnitas?

    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.

    The most common home method is braising a chuck of pork butt in a spiced-up fluid of some type and then cooking off the liquid on the stovetop—a major mess. With baking, there is almost no mess, and much of the fat drains due to the rack, so the "greasy factor" is markedly decreased.

    ❓FAQs

    How to season pork carnitas?

    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.

    How to serve pork carnitas?

    Carnitas are shredded to serve. These baked carnitas are already browned, but cooked in other ways usually require browning by shredding and broiling a few minutes on a baking sheet.

    The most common of the carnitas shredded pork is a taco. It is then topped with typical taco toppings like sour cream, shredded cheese, or cilantro. Or anything you like.

    Other users of carnitas shredded pork are burritos, enchiladas, or quesadillas.

    ❄️Storage and reheating leftovers

    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for 3 months.

    To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. A microwave can be used to reheat small amounts. Otherwise, reheat shredded carnitas on the stovetop or cover them with foil in the oven.

    📖Other Carnitas Recipes

    Crock Pot Pork Carnitas

    Healthier Pork Tenderloin Carnitas

    Chicken Carnitas AKA Carnitas de Pollo

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    101's Best Recipes, Mexican Recipes, Pork Butt Recipes, Pork Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    raw pork butt with spices and a lime

    Preheat oven to 250° convection or 275° conventional.

    spary rack on tray and foil with pam

    Prepare a sheet pan with foil and a rack. Give the rack a heavy spray of PAM.

    pork butt cut into chunks on black board

    Cut a 3-4 pound boneless pork butt into about 2-inch chunks. Trim big pieces of fat only. You could do bone-in butt, but you will make your life harder.

    mixing chunks of pork butt with spices in a white bowl

    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 to coat.

    spice covered pork on the rack and tray

    Transfer meat to the prepared pan. Distribute evenly but the largest chunks in the corners.

    Covering tray of raw pork with foil

    Cover with foil.

    cooked carnitas still on the rack

    Roast in the preheated oven for 2 ½ hours. Remove the foil and roast for about 2 more hours until the internal temperature is 195° to 200° on the biggest pieces.

    pile of baked carnitas on a white plate

    Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

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    Recipe

    carmita taco in a hand

    Easy Oven Carnitas

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    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.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.24 from 25 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
    Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 6

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 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
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 250° convection or 275° conventional.
      raw pork butt with spices and a lime
    • Prepare a sheet pan with foil and a rack. Give the rack a heavy spray of PAM.
      spary rack on tray and foil with pam
    • Cut a 3-4 pound boneless pork butt into about 2-inch chunks. Trim big pieces of fat only. You could do bone-in butt, but you will make your life harder.
      pork butt cut into chunks on black board
    • 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 to coat.
      mixing chunks of pork butt with spices in a white bowl
    • Transfer meat to the prepared pan. Distribute evenly but the largest chunks in the corners. Cover with foil.
      spice covered pork on the rack and tray
    • Roast in the preheated oven for 2 ½ hours. Remove the foil and roast for about 2 more hours until the internal temperature is 195° to 200° on the biggest pieces.
      cooked carnitas still on the rack
    • Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
      pile of baked carnitas on a white plate
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. 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.
    2. It is important to put the thicker pieces of pork to the corners and the outside edge of the tray.
    3. Time estimates are based on 2 to 2-½-inch chunks. Smaller chunks of pork will cook much faster.
    4. You can do this without the rack, but the bottom will be set in the fat and drainage.
    5. Season as you want.
    6. The final temperature endpoint is the most important part of this recipe. Never cook by time alone.
    7. Serve with tortillas and toppings of your choice.
    8. Good refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3-4 months.
    The nutrition information on this recipe is variable due to the nature of pork butt.

    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

    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Oven Carnitas
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 307 Calories from Fat 117
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 13g20%
    Saturated Fat 5g25%
    Cholesterol 136mg45%
    Sodium 558mg23%
    Potassium 801mg23%
    Carbohydrates 2g1%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 43g86%
    Vitamin A 395IU8%
    Vitamin C 2mg2%
    Calcium 39mg4%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Main Course
    Cuisine : Mexican

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Editor's Note: Originally Published October 1, 2017. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

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      Chuck Roast Chili with Chili Nachos

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    1. PacifiCoast

      October 03, 2019 at 6:57 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
    2. Nanci B

      May 07, 2019 at 9:45 am

      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!!!

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        May 07, 2019 at 9:59 am

        Hi Nanci,
        Welcome to the blog.
        I think you will enjoy it.
        Thanks for the note.
        Dan

    3. Morgan

      March 02, 2019 at 12:31 am

      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.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        March 04, 2019 at 4:11 pm

        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

    4. Elizabeth

      November 15, 2018 at 7:51 am

      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.

      Reply
    5. Emeline

      September 28, 2018 at 1:11 am

      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 !!!!

      Reply
      • DrDan

        September 28, 2018 at 8:06 am

        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

    6. Steve

      May 08, 2018 at 6:46 pm

      Can you freeze these? A 4 point pork shoulder makes too much for 2. Thank you.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        May 08, 2018 at 7:11 pm

        Hi Steve,
        They should be good refrigerated for 2-3 days and about 2-3 months in a freezer.
        Dan

    7. Jennifer

      April 29, 2018 at 10:41 am

      Wonderful and easy to follow recipe. Will make again again. Thank you!

      Reply
      • DrDan

        May 08, 2018 at 1:17 pm

        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

    8. Gus Chavez

      December 30, 2017 at 11:07 pm

      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

      Reply

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