Tacos de Carnitas: cubes of pork simmered with aromatics until tender, then crisped in their fat and served on warm tortillas.
I had guests for the Fourth and a rainy weekend, but the weather couldn’t dampen the food or the fun. After days of blue skies and heat, a washout weekend meant I cooked a lot to keep everyone happy. One night I made tacos de carnitas, and they were a hit.
I hadn’t tried making carnitas at home before, but a recipe I found caught my attention. Pork butt was on sale, so I picked one up and decided to give it a go. The method is straightforward and perfect for feeding a crowd: the pork is simmered with simple seasonings until tender, then finished in its own fat so the exterior gets nicely browned and a bit crispy.
There are many dishes I usually leave to restaurants—tacos al pastor, bahn mi, pho—because I have favorite spots that do them well. Still, my recipe files are full of ideas to try at home. This carnitas recipe appealed because it uses simple aromatics—orange zest, cinnamon, cloves—paired with slow simmering, which results in tender, flavorful pork.
The technique is to simmer 1-inch cubes of pork in water with aromatics and seasonings. After the meat is tender and the cooking liquid has mostly evaporated, the pork fries in its rendered fat until browned and slightly crisp. You can finish the browning in the pot or transfer the meat to a nonstick skillet or well-seasoned cast iron pan to get it even crispier.
Traditionally, carnitas are served on warmed corn tortillas topped with chopped white onion, fresh cilantro and a little salsa verde or hot sauce. For my family I also offered avocado, sour cream and crumbled queso fresco—simple additions that everyone enjoyed.
I plan to tackle more dishes at home that I’ve hesitated to make. These carnitas are one I’ll definitely repeat; they compare favorably to offerings from food trucks and restaurants. If you try them, I think you’ll be impressed.
Try these Tacos de Carnitas—you likely won’t be disappointed. Best, Kelly
Tacos de Carnitas
15 minutes
2 hours 15 minutes
2 hours 30 minutes
12 servings
278 kcal
Kelly Wildenhaus
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds pork butt, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 6 cups water
- 7 strips orange zest
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large white onion, diced (plus more for garnish)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1¼ teaspoons crushed red pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1½ teaspoons crushed oregano
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 24 small corn tortillas, warmed
- Chopped fresh cilantro (for serving)
- Finely chopped white onion (for serving)
- Salsa verde or hot sauce (for serving)
Instructions
- Trim any thick exterior fat from the pork butt. Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes, discarding any pieces that are pure fat. Leave some fat on the meat for flavor and browning.
- Place the pork cubes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Skim off any foam or scum that rises during the first 15 minutes.
- After skimming, add the diced onion, minced garlic, orange zest, crushed red pepper, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, oregano, ground cloves and salt. Simmer uncovered about 1¼ hours, until the pork is very tender. Add water as needed to keep the meat submerged. Taste and adjust salt.
- Continue simmering until most of the cooking liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Allow the pork to cook in its rendered fat, stirring often, until the pieces are browned and slightly crisp. If the meat seems to stick or burn, add a splash of water and stir, or transfer to a nonstick or cast-iron skillet and brown for a crispier finish.
- Spoon the carnitas into warmed tortillas and top with chopped onion, cilantro and salsa. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- Warm and lightly brown tortillas in a nonstick skillet before assembling the tacos.
- To get crispier carnitas, finish browning in a nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet and spoon pan drippings over the meat while it fries.
Nutrition
*Adapted from recipe sources.