Tender, citrus-braised pork shredded and roasted until edges are crisp, served in warm handmade corn tortillas with fresh onion, cilantro and lime for bright contrast.
Juicy Braised Carnitas with Crispy, Chewy Edges
Citrus-braised pork shredded and roasted to caramelized perfection, then piled into warm corn tortillas for bright, gluten-free tacos everyone will reach for twice.
This is the kind of weeknight recipe that doubles as weekend show-off food: slow-tender pork that shreds into silky ribbons, then gets blasted in the oven until the edges turn lacy and crunchy. The citrus in the braise—fresh orange and lime—cuts through the richness, so every bite feels bright rather than heavy. Because everything here is naturally corn- and pork-forward, it’s an easy gluten-free win that still tastes indulgent.
A simple spice rub of kosher salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano and minced garlic gives the pork a warm, savory backbone. Trim big slabs of fat, pat the meat dry, then brown the pieces in a little lard to get those caramelized Maillard flavors—work in batches so the pot stays hot and you actually brown instead of steam. Sautéed onions, a splash of orange and lime juice, bay leaves and low-sodium chicken broth finish the pan; the liquid should come about halfway up the meat so it gently braises into pull-apart tenderness.
After a long, slow braise the pork will almost fall apart—shred it and reserve some of the cooking liquid. The secret to real carnitas texture is a final roast: spread the shredded pork on a rimmed pan, blot any excess moisture, spoon a little reduced braising liquid or a few dots of lard over the meat, and roast until the outsides caramelize and crisp. Those toasty edges against the juicy interior are what makes tacos sing.
Serve in warm handmade corn tortillas with plenty of chopped white onion, cilantro and lime wedges for acid. This also keeps and reheats beautifully: you can braise a day ahead and finish under the broiler right before guests arrive, or shred and save for quick tacos all week. Simple, flexible, and undeniably craveable.
Ingredients
How to Make Pork Carnitas with Corn Tortillas
- Trim large pieces of excess fat from the pork shoulder and cut into 3–4 large chunks; pat dry with paper towels.
- Mince the garlic and zest the orange. In a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin and dried oregano; rub the spice mix and minced garlic over all sides of the pork pieces.
- Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the pork on all sides, roughly 3–4 minutes per side; work in batches and transfer browned pieces to a plate.
- Add the sliced yellow onion to the pot and cook 3–4 minutes until translucent, then pour in the juice of the orange and the juice of 1 lime, scrape up browned bits, add bay leaves and chicken broth, return the pork to the pot so liquid comes about halfway up the meat.
- Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, cover, then transfer the pot to a 300°F (150°C) oven and braise until very tender, about 2 to 2½ hours.
- Remove the pork to a cutting board, discard bay leaves, and shred the meat with two forks; skim or spoon off excess fat from the braising liquid and reserve about ¼ cup of the reduced liquid to toss with the shredded pork for moisture.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Spread the shredded pork in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon lard over it and toss with the reserved braising liquid, then roast 12–15 minutes until edges are crisp, stirring once; for extra crispiness broil 1–2 minutes but watch closely.
- While the pork finishes, make the tortillas: combine masa harina and ½ tsp salt in a bowl, pour in hot water and stir until a soft dough forms; knead 1 minute, divide into 12 equal balls, press each between plastic or a tortilla press to 5–6" rounds, and cook on a hot dry skillet 45–60 seconds per side until slightly puffed; keep wrapped in a towel.
- Dice the white onion and chop the cilantro. Serve the crisped carnitas on warm corn tortillas with diced onion, cilantro and lime wedges; offer extra lime for squeezing.
Recipe Card
Pork Carnitas with Corn Tortillas
Tender, citrus-braised pork shredded and roasted until edges are crisp, served in warm handmade corn tortillas with fresh onion, cilantro and lime for bright contrast.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 30 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim large pieces of excess fat from the pork shoulder and cut into 3–4 large chunks; pat dry with paper towels.
- Mince the garlic and zest the orange. In a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin and dried oregano; rub the spice mix and minced garlic over all sides of the pork pieces.
- Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the pork on all sides, roughly 3–4 minutes per side; work in batches and transfer browned pieces to a plate.
- Add the sliced yellow onion to the pot and cook 3–4 minutes until translucent, then pour in the juice of the orange and the juice of 1 lime, scrape up browned bits, add bay leaves and chicken broth, return the pork to the pot so liquid comes about halfway up the meat.
- Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, cover, then transfer the pot to a 300°F (150°C) oven and braise until very tender, about 2 to 2½ hours.
- Remove the pork to a cutting board, discard bay leaves, and shred the meat with two forks; skim or spoon off excess fat from the braising liquid and reserve about ¼ cup of the reduced liquid to toss with the shredded pork for moisture.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Spread the shredded pork in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon lard over it and toss with the reserved braising liquid, then roast 12–15 minutes until edges are crisp, stirring once; for extra crispiness broil 1–2 minutes but watch closely.
- While the pork finishes, make the tortillas: combine masa harina and ½ tsp salt in a bowl, pour in hot water and stir until a soft dough forms; knead 1 minute, divide into 12 equal balls, press each between plastic or a tortilla press to 5–6" rounds, and cook on a hot dry skillet 45–60 seconds per side until slightly puffed; keep wrapped in a towel.
- Dice the white onion and chop the cilantro. Serve the crisped carnitas on warm corn tortillas with diced onion, cilantro and lime wedges; offer extra lime for squeezing.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 58
- Saturated Fat
- 17
- Sodium
- 900
- Fiber
- 6
- Unsaturated Fat
- 31
- Protein
- 54
- Fat
- 48
- Cholesterol
- 170
- Trans Fat
- 0.2
- Calories
- 850
- Sugar
- 6