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Slowly roasting pork shoulder in zesty spices with a touch of citrus in a cast iron Dutch oven yields tender, flavorful Mexican pulled pork. Serve the crispy Dutch oven carnitas in warm corn tortillas, on a fresh salad, alongside chips and guac, or on a bed of easy Spanish rice.
Table of Contents
If you’re looking for more cast iron recipes, be sure to try these Dutch oven pork chops, this Dutch oven chicken, a popular Dutch oven pork roast with gravy, easy Dutch oven chicken breast with vegetables, and this reader-favorite Dutch oven pot roast, too!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy. This is essentially a set-it-and-forget-it meal, since the oven does all of the work. Season the meat, roast it for a few hours, and then it will be so tender that it practically falls apart on its own. The crispy carnitas are succulent and juicy with minimal effort!
- Flavorful. This Mexican pulled pork is full of flavor, thanks to the zesty seasoning blend and the fresh citrus juices. Cubing the pork before cooking allows more of the meat to contact the seasoning and to crisp in the pot, which gives the dish even more great flavor and texture.
- Tender and Juicy with Crispy Edges. Thanks to the slow roasting process and the marbled meat, the pork becomes tender and juicy as it cooks in the Dutch oven. The heat of the cast iron caramelizes the sugars in the rub and orange juice, creating crispy edges on the meat. This eliminates the need to crisp the pork in a skillet or in the oven after shredding (as typically required for an authentic carnitas recipe). It’s the perfect texture with less work!
What are carnitas?
Carnitas (which translates to “little meats”) are a traditional Mexican dish consisting of tender, slow-cooked pork typically seasoned with spices like garlic, cumin, and oregano. The meat is cooked until it’s juicy on the inside with crispy, caramelized edges, making it a flavorful and versatile filling for tacos, burritos, and sandwiches.
American pulled pork is often known as “pork barbecue” or “bbq pork.” Carnitas are Mexico’s version of pulled pork, made by slow cooking pork that’s fully submerged in lard. The end result is rich, tender meat with plenty of browned, crispy edges.
Why Use a Dutch Oven for Carnitas
The secret to good carnitas lies in the Dutch oven slow cooking process, allowing the pork to render its fat and become tender while developing a crispy exterior. Additionally, seasoning the meat with a blend of spices like garlic, cumin, and oregano and sweet, acidic citrus juice enhances the flavor profile, creating a rich, complex, and savory dish.
A cast iron Dutch oven is an ideal tool for making carnitas due to its superior heat retention and even distribution. The thick walls of the Dutch oven ensure that the pork cooks evenly and slowly, allowing the flavors to meld and develop beautifully. Additionally, the Dutch oven’s tight-fitting lid helps to trap moisture, resulting in tender, succulent meat while also promoting the development of a crispy exterior.
For this recipe, use a large Dutch oven with a capacity of 4-6 quarts. If you’re in the market for a new pot, we rounded up the best Dutch ovens on the market. Hopefully you’ll find that list helpful!
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for the best carnitas recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Brown sugar, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, and cayenne: for the zesty carnitas seasoning rub.
- Pork shoulder: the best cut for carnitas is typically pork shoulder, also known as pork butt or Boston butt. This cut is marbled with fat and connective tissue, which renders down during slow cooking, resulting in juicy, flavorful meat with a perfect balance of tenderness and crispiness. Look for a boneless option or pork butt steaks so that it’s easier to cut into chunks.
- Olive oil: browns the meat, helps the pork absorb the seasoning, and prevents the meat from sticking to the Dutch oven. You can sub with another type of oil, such as canola oil or vegetable oil, or even use lard like an authentic carnitas recipe.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: enhance the flavors of the other ingredients. Don’t be shy with the salt, since you’ve got a lot of meat to season.
- Orange juice and lime juice: acidic notes that balance the fatty, succulent meat and brighten up the dish. The sugar in the juice also helps to caramelize the pork.
Directions
This Dutch oven pork carnitas recipe is about as easy as it gets! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick overview:
- Stir together the seasoning blend.
- Toss the pork with olive oil and seasoning.
- Transfer the meat to the Dutch oven and add orange and lime juice.
- Cover and cook until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Shred the pork on a sheet pan to catch any juices (or directly in the Dutch oven with the cooking liquid).
Serving Suggestions
Here are some delicious ways to serve the crispy pork carnitas:
- Carnitas tacos: everyone loves the succulent meat tucked inside soft flour tortillas or crisp corn tortillas. Top them with your favorite garnishes, such as shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, sliced green onion, salsa, avocado, or guacamole.
- Sliders: make little carnitas sandwiches by serving the meat between mini buns with coleslaw or pickled onions for a tasty snack or party food.
- Quesadillas, enchiladas, or burritos: use the meat inside quesadillas, enchiladas, and burritos along with cheese, rice, and refried beans. These are great ways to stretch leftovers, too!
- Rice bowls: similar to burrito bowls at Chipotle, you can pile the pulled pork on top of white rice and garnish with extra veggies and toppings.
- Nachos: make pulled pork nachos, and don’t forget the extra toppings!
- Cornbread: serve the pork over hearty wedges of Mexican cornbread to soak up those extra juices.
- Salad: make a taco salad with the carnitas. Use chopped lettuce, fresh vegetables, cheese, olives, onion, cilantro, black beans, corn, or crushed tortilla chips.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Prep Ahead: To get ahead, you can assemble the seasoning blend and cube the pork in advance. When you’re ready to cook the meat, just toss everything together and pop it in the oven.
- How to Store: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: Place the carnitas in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or broth to prevent drying out. Stir occasionally until heated through, ensuring the meat retains its moisture and texture. Alternatively, you can reheat individual servings covered in the microwave with a splash of water or broth for 30-60 seconds, or until warm.
Recipe Variations
- For a different flavor profile, replace some of the orange juice with beer.
- Make the meat spicier by using extra cayenne pepper. You can also garnish individual servings with jalapenos.
- Add 1-2 bay leaves to the Dutch oven for even more flavor.
- Instead of the Dutch oven, cook the pork in a slow cooker. It will require about 6-8 hours on LOW or 3-4 hours on HIGH in the Crock Pot. You might not get those crispy, caramelized edges, so you may want to fry the meat in the hot oil after shredding (see the recipe instructions below).
Expert Tips
- Cutting the pork shoulder into large chunks allows more of the seasoning to coat the meat, creates even more crispy edges during the cooking process, and allows the meat to cook a bit faster. If you prefer to roast a whole pork shoulder instead, that’s fine — you’ll just need to increase the total cooking time to 4-5 hours, or until the meat shreds easily with two forks (about 205 degrees F).
- You don’t need too much liquid in the Dutch oven. A little bit of orange juice and lime juice infuse flavor and keep the inside of the pot moist, while the meat also releases a lot of juices and liquid. As the pork roasts, the sugars in the juices and seasoning rub caramelize and yield that great crispy texture on the edges of the meat. Too much braising liquid and you’ll end up with steamed or braised meat without the crisp exterior.
- If the meat looks too dry, add a splash of extra orange juice, water, chicken broth, beef broth, or even beer to the Dutch oven.
- While I haven’t found it necessary, you can crisp the pork in a skillet on the stovetop after shredding the meat. Those instructions are included in the recipe card below.
More Pulled Pork Recipes to Try
Crock Pot Pulled Pork
12 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Cider Braised Pork Shoulder
4 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Crock Pot Beer Pulled Pork with Maple BBQ Sauce
12 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Dutch Oven Carnitas
Ingredients
SEASONING BLEND
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
PORK
- 3-4 lbs. boneless pork shoulder (or pork butt), trimmed and cut into big 2-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- ¾ cup orange juice
- Juice from 1 lime
OPTIONAL FOR SERVING
- Cooked rice
- Corn or flour tortillas
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Pico de gallo or salsa
- Avocado or guacamole
- Fresh lime wedges
- Sliced jalapenos
- Chopped lettuce
- Shredded cheese or crumbled cotija cheese
- Quick pickled red onions
Instructions
SEASON THE PORK
- Preheat oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, combine the seasoning ingredients. Set aside.
- Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Drizzle the pork with 1 tablespoon of olive oil; toss to coat. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Add the seasoning blend; stir until the pork is well coated.
- Coat the bottom of a large cast iron Dutch oven with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the pork. Pour in the orange juice and squeeze the lime juice over top. Cover with the lid.
COOK THE PORK
- Roast the pork in the oven for about 3 -3 ½ hours, stirring once or twice during the cooking process. The pork is done when it’s fall apart tender. Shred the meat with two forks. Add a little bit of extra lime juice over top, if desired.
OPTIONAL TO CRISP THE PORK
- I have found that the edges of the pork caramelize nicely in the Dutch oven, and therefore do not need to be “crisped” in a skillet as you would for traditional carnitas. That said, if you find you’re your pork isn’t as crispy as you’d like, you can crisp it in a skillet on the stovetop. This is optional! To do so, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Working in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan, press the shredded pork into the oil and fry until crispy on one side (about 3 minutes).
- Serve the crispy carnitas in tacos, with rice, or on salad and garnish with desired toppings.
Notes
- Cutting the pork shoulder into large chunks allows more of the seasoning to coat the meat, creates even more crispy edges during the cooking process, and allows the meat to cook a bit faster. If you prefer to roast a whole pork shoulder instead, that’s fine — you’ll just need to increase the total cooking time to 4-5 hours, or until the meat shreds easily with two forks (about 205 degrees F).
- You don’t need too much liquid in the Dutch oven. A little bit of orange juice and lime juice infuse flavor and keep the inside of the pot moist, while the meat also releases a lot of juices and liquid. As the pork roasts, the sugars in the juices and seasoning rub caramelize and yield that great crispy texture on the edges of the meat. Too much braising liquid and you’ll end up with steamed or braised meat without the crisp exterior.
- If the meat looks too dry, add a splash of extra orange juice, water, chicken broth, beef broth, or even beer to the Dutch oven.
