Weeknight Pork Carnitas Street Tacos
Easy weeknight pork carnitas made with a boneless pork loin braised in citrus‑pineapple juice, then crisped in a cast iron skillet. Dutch oven or crockpot. Perfect for street tacos.
Servings: 6 tacos
Calories: 300kcal
Equipment
- Dutch oven
- Cast iron skillet
- Slow cooker optional
Ingredients
The Pork
- 2.5 lb boneless pork loin center cut roast
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ –1 tsp paprika optional but recommended
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
Optional Aromatics & Flavor Boosters
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 strip orange peel pith removed
- Zest of 1 lime + ½ orange
- ½ cinnamon stick remove before shredding
- 1 canned chipotle in adobo (1 pepper) adds gentle smoke + heat
- 1 –2 tbsp pork lard for richer, more traditional carnitas
Braising Liquid
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- ½ cup low‑sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp olive oil oven method only
For Serving
- Flour tortillas or crispy corn shells
- Lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro
- Cotija cheese or queso fresco
- Diced white onion
- Sliced avocado
- Pickled red onions
- Salsa or salsa verde or hot sauce
Instructions
Step 1: Season and Marinate (Overnight Recommended)
- Mix salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, coriander, and paprika.
- Pat pork dry and rub spice mixture over all sides.
- Refrigerate 4–12 hours (or overnight).
- Pull from fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
Step 2a: Oven Method (Dutch Oven)
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium‑high. Sear pork 2–3 minutes per side. Remove.
- Add citrus zest if using.
- Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.
- Add orange juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, broth, aromatics, and chipotle if using.
- Return pork to pot. Liquid should come halfway up the roast.
- Cover and braise 2–2.5 hours until pork reaches 195–200°F and shreds easily.
Step 2b: Crockpot Variation
- Add juices, broth, garlic, aromatics, and chipotle to the slow cooker.
- Place seasoned pork into the liquid.
- Cook on low 6–7 hours or high 3.5–4 hours.
Step 3: Shred and Reduce
- Remove pork and shred with two forks.
- Pour braising liquid into a saucepan. Simmer 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Toss shredded pork with reduced liquid. Adjust salt.
Step 4: Cast Iron Crisp
- Heat cast iron over high until nearly smoking.
- Add pork in a single layer. Press gently.
- Cook undisturbed 2–3 minutes until deeply caramelized.
- Flip once and cook 1 minute more.
- Repeat in batches.
Step 5: Assemble the Tacos
- Warm tortillas, pile on carnitas, and top with onion, cilantro, cotija or queso fresco, avocado, pickled red onions, and lime.
Notes
Overnight marinade recommended. Fresh citrus strongly recommended. Optional flavor boosts: lime + orange zest, 1 chipotle in adobo, ½–1 tsp paprika. Target 195–200°F for shreddability. Make‑ahead friendly. Cross‑link: Pulled Pork from Pork Loin.
- Overnight marinade = big payoff.
- Fresh citrus only: The flavor difference is huge.
- Zest is magic: Adds aroma and brightness.
- Chipotle: One pepper adds perfect warmth and smoke.
- Paprika: Deepens color and rounds out the spice profile.
- Make‑ahead: Shredded pork (before crisping) keeps 4 days or freezes 3 months.
- Pickled onions: Lime + salt + sugar + 30 minutes = magic.
