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Citrus-Garlic Pork Carnitas
Andre Lewis

Citrus-Garlic Pork Carnitas

The slow cooker makes the pork tender; the broiler makes it carnitas. Orange and lime season the meat without turning the final pan sweet. Spread the pork thin, spoon on a little fat and don't walk away during the crisping step.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 lbs boneless pork shoulder cut into 3-inch pieces
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 6 garlic cloves smashed
  • 1 large white onion cut into wedges
  • 1 orange juiced
  • 2 limes juiced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 16 small corn tortillas

Method
 

  1. Rub the pork with the salt, pepper, cumin and oregano and arrange it in a 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Add the garlic, onion, orange juice, lime juice and bay leaves.
  3. Cover and cook on low until the pork pulls apart with almost no pressure, 7 1/2 to 8 hours.
  4. Transfer the pork to a sheet pan, discard the bay leaves and shred the meat into large pieces.
  5. Spoon 1/3 cup skimmed cooking fat and juices over the pork and spread it in one layer.
  6. Broil until the tips turn dark and crisp, 4 to 7 minutes, turning the pan once.
  7. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet and fill each with crisp-edged carnitas.