How to Make Carnitas

Top shot photo of pork carnitas bowl recipe.

I have been making this Carnitas recipe on repeat lately and it's always such a hit with my entire family! And after tons of testing, I can honestly say they are PERFECT. These easy pork carnitas are cooked in a single Dutch oven, then added to bowls with rice, black bean and corn salsa, and topped off with creamy avocado lime dressing. They're flavorful, tender, slightly crispy, and so good in these bowls. If you've been searching for the best carnitas, this recipe works perfectly every single time!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 35

Total Time 1 45

Servings Servings

Calories 421kcal

Author Christine McMichael

Equipment

Dutch Oven

Ingredients

Carnitas

1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons avocado oil
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice
1/8 cup lime juice
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 medium yellow onion quartered

Black Bean & Corn Salsa Bowls

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 cup black beans
1/4 cup corn
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups cooked rice

Avocado Lime Dressing

1 Tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
1/2 medium avocado
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4-1/2 cup water adjust to desired consistency
1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cube the pork shoulder into 3-inch pieces and season with 1 teaspoon of salt.
Add the avocado oil to a dutch oven on medium-high heat.
Sear the pork shoulder for 4-5 minutes, then flip and sear for another 4-5 minutes.
Add in the chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, oregano leaves, and black pepper. Stir together and make sure that the meat is coated in the marinade.
Add in half of a yellow onion that’s been quartered (do not cut the onion into small pieces, it will be removed after cooking).
Bring the contents of the Dutch oven to a rolling boil, then place the lid on top and cook in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours.
Prepare the black bean and corn salsa so it can marinate. Dice the red onion and red bell pepper, and finely chop the cilantro.
Combine the red onions, bell peppers, cilantro, beans, corn, lime juice, and salt in a medium bowl. Cover the mixture and put it in the refrigerator until it’s time to build the Crispy Carnitas Bowls.
After 1 1/2 hours have passed, remove the meat from the oven.
Remove the quartered onion, but do not drain off any liquid that remains in the Dutch oven.
Using a hand mixer on low speed (or two forks if necessary), shred the meat.
Evenly spread the shredded meat out and place the Dutch oven back into the oven, close to the broiler and without the lid.
Broil on high for 5 minutes.
While the carnitas are crisping up in the oven, add all of the ingredients for the avocado lime dressing to a blender and blend together until smooth.
Assemble the bowls with rice, black bean and corn salsa, and crispy carnitas. Drizzle with avocado lime dressing and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Cut the pork into smaller pieces and bring everything to a rolling boil before putting the Dutch oven into the oven. This helps speed up the cooking process.
Use fresh orange and lime juice. This is a must, it makes a big difference in the fresh and citrus notes present in the flavor of the final dish!
Make the black bean and corn salsa right after getting the pork shoulder into the oven. The marination process helps give the salsa so much flavor.
Do not drain the liquid from the Dutch oven before shredding the pork. That’s where all of the delicious flavors are and it’ll keep the carnitas from becoming dry!
Save time by using pre-cooked rice! I love these pouches, especially for a busy weeknight.

Nutrition