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Dinner

Homemade Chipotle Style Pork Carnitas

Tender, juicy pork with crispy edges that tastes just like your favorite restaurant order.

By Daily Recipes Book· 🌍 Mexican· July 29, 2026
Homemade Chipotle Style Pork Carnitas
dailyrecipesbook.com
Prep
20 minutes
Cook
3 hours 30 minutes
Total
3 hours 50 minutes
Serves
6

There is something so satisfying about making restaurant quality carnitas right in your own kitchen. My family loves these because the meat gets so tender that it practically falls apart when you touch it with a fork.

My top tip for this recipe is to make sure you do not skip the final step of crisping the meat in a pan. That little bit of caramelization is exactly what gives the pork its signature flavor and texture.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt, cut into 2 inch chunks
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for crisping

Instructions

  1. 1

    Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

  2. 2

    In a small bowl, mix the salt, oregano, cumin, and pepper together.

  3. 3

    Place the pork chunks into a large Dutch oven or roasting pan and rub the spice mixture all over the meat.

  4. 4

    Add the garlic, chopped onion, orange juice, and lime juice into the pot.

  5. 5

    Cover the pot tightly with a lid or heavy duty foil and roast for 3 to 4 hours, or until the pork is very tender and shreds easily.

  6. 6

    Remove the pork from the liquid and shred it into smaller pieces using two forks.

  7. 7

    Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

  8. 8

    Add the shredded pork to the hot skillet in a single layer and cook until the edges become golden brown and crispy.

💡 Tips

Serve these carnitas in warm corn tortillas with fresh cilantro, diced onion, and a squeeze of lime. You can store leftover pork in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and it crisps up perfectly in a skillet when you are ready to eat it again.

#dinner#pork#mexican#easy dinner#tacos

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