180 minutes
Savor the tender, crispy bites of these oven-broiled carnitas, bringing authentic Mexican flavors to your table without the need for a grill.
1. Season & Simmer
Preheat oven to 300°F with rack at lower-middle position. In a large Dutch oven, combine pork with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cumin, halved onion, bay leaves, oregano, and lime juice. Add water (should just cover meat). Squeeze orange, strain juice to remove seeds (should yield about 1/3 cup), and add to pot along with orange halves. Over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cover and move to oven. Braise until pork is tender and shreds easily, about 2 hours, turning meat once halfway.
2. Reduce & Crisp
Remove pot from oven, set broiler to high. With a slotted spoon, transfer pork to a bowl. Discard orange halves, onion, and bay leaves from liquid. Over high heat, reduce liquid to a thick glaze, about 1 cup, stirring frequently, 8-12 minutes. Shred pork with forks, fold in glaze, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Broil & Serve
Spread pork on a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan, covering the surface evenly. Broil on lower-middle rack until browned and crisped, 5-8 minutes per side. Serve hot with tortillas and optional garnishes.
Create Asian-style, Middle Eastern, or Hawaiian carnitas with appropriate seasonings and braising liquids.
Chicken, beef, or lamb can be used for different takes on carnitas.
Create sauces like tomatillo salsa verde, smoky chipotle salsa, or mango habanero salsa.
Serve as tacos, in burrito bowls, or as a salad with suitable toppings and sides.
Use young green jackfruit to make jackfruit carnitas.
Broil the drained meat in a single layer, watching closely to achieve charred edges without drying.
Opt for pork shoulder with good marbling for tender, flavorful carnitas.
Cook the meat at 275-300°F for several hours until fall-apart tender for the best texture and flavor.
Use a mix of citrus juices and aromatics, ensuring it comes up halfway up the meat for tenderizing and flavor infusion.
Cut pork into 2 to 3-inch chunks to increase surface area for caramelization and crispiness.
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