# Dutch Oven Pork Carnitas

A recipe for making delicious pork carnitas in a Dutch oven.

- Total time: 180 min
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Category: Soup
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 3 pounds pork shoulder
- 1 diced onion
- 5 minced garlic cloves
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 orange
- 0.5 lime
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pepper
- 1 tortilla
- salsa
- taco sauce
- cilantro

## Instructions

1. Trim the fat from 3 pounds of pork shoulder and cut it into manageable sizes.
2. Brown the pork on all sides in a hot oiled Dutch oven.
3. Remove the browned pork from the Dutch oven.
4. Add one diced onion to the Dutch oven.
5. Add five minced garlic cloves to the Dutch oven.
6. Stir and sauté the onions and garlic until they are soft and golden.
7. Return the pork to the Dutch oven with the sautéed onions and garlic.
8. Add two cups of chicken stock.
9. Juice one orange into the Dutch oven.
10. Squeeze the juice of half a lime into the Dutch oven.
11. Add two bay leaves.
12. Add two teaspoons of oregano.
13. Add one teaspoon of chili powder.
14. Add one teaspoon of cumin.
15. Add one teaspoon of salt.
16. Add as much pepper as your heart desires.
17. Stir everything together.
18. Put the lid on the Dutch oven.
19. Place the Dutch oven in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for two to three hours.
20. Check if the pork is done by sticking a fork in it; it should come apart easily.
21. Transfer all the pork to a bowl.
22. Shred the pork using two forks.
23. Transfer the shredded pork to a sheet pan and spread it out.
24. Pour the juices from the Dutch oven over the shredded pork and spread it out.
25. Place the sheet pan under the broiler for a few minutes to get a carnitas crisp.
26. Squeeze the remaining half of the lime over the carnitas.
27. Optionally, add cilantro if you have it.
28. Fill a tortilla with carnitas, salsa, and your favorite taco sauce.
29. Fold the taco.
30. Enjoy your homemade carnitas taco.

## Equipment

- Dutch oven
- tongs
- wooden spatula
- bowl
- forks
- sheet pan
- oven

## Tips

- You'll know when it's done because when you stick a fork in it, it'll come apart.
- If you've got cilantro in your pocket, by all means, throw it on top!

## Source

- Original video: https://www.instagram.com/p/DG0jNlRJNnz/
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/0d09a74f-eea7-4fac-8e90-4a6ac42182a5
- Extracted: 2025-06-23

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt