Since the first time I made these dutch oven carnitas, my son has asked for them every single week! I totally understand why - I can't get enough either.
This juicy, flavorful Mexican pulled pork is hard to resist. It's seasoned to perfection with onion, jalapenos, orange juice, limes and just the right amount of spices. Once braised in the dutch oven, it simply falls apart into the most tender pork. Shredded pork carnitas make the best tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or over nachos...there are so many ways to enjoy this meat!
Mexican food has always been my favorite and I love that carnitas are naturally gluten free and dairy free. And if you don't have time for this dutch oven recipe, you can also make this with the Instant Pot in a fraction of the time - check the notes on the recipe card for instructions.
Homemade carnitas are delicious served on corn tortillas topped with onion, freshly squeezed lime juice and fresh cilantro.
If you're looking for more Latin inspired dishes, check out my Mexican beef and rice skillet or our favorite Mexican tater tot casserole.
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Ingredient Notes
- Pork Roast - I like to use a pork butt for this recipe, sometimes called a boneless pork shoulder. It is the best cut of meat for carnitas, because it has just the right amount of fat to create really tender, juicy pork after a long cooking time.
- Salt - I used kosher salt to season the pork. You may think it's a lot of salt, but pork can handle it. If you don't have kosher salt, regular table salt will be fine but reduce the amount to 1 ½ teaspoons.
- Olive Oil - I use extra light olive oil for all of my cooking and baking. You can use any high temperature, light flavored cooking oil here. You could also use shortening or lard.
- Onion and Garlic - These aromatics are used to create a base flavor for the dish. Once cooked, the taste of both will be complimentary.
- Jalapeno - We like a little spice but if you're sensitive to spicy foods, you can leave the jalapeno pepper out.
- Orange Juice and Lime Juice - I recommend squeezing both from fresh fruit because the flavor is so much better than bottled juice. Not only does the citrus juice add flavor, but the acidity tenderizes the meat.
- Cumin, Oregano, Chili Powder, and Black Pepper - All of these spices will give you a traditional flavor.
- Bay Leaf - Sometimes people say they can't tell a difference from bay leaves, but it's there. It adds a mild flavor to the final dish. I like to buy fresh leaves from the produce department, since the dried ones in the spice aisle tend to have less oomph.
- Gluten Free Chicken Broth - If you're following a gluten free diet, make sure to use a brand of broth that is marked gluten free, since this is an ingredient that frequently has hidden gluten. Pacific Foods brand is what I always use.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Spicy Version: Add more jalapeños or include a diced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce to increase the heat.
- Herbal Twist: Incorporate fresh herbs like thyme or marjoram with the existing spices for an aromatic touch.
- Citrus Herb Version: Along with the orange and lime juices, add zest from the citrus fruits to enhance the citrus flavor and include finely chopped cilantro after cooking to freshen up the dish.
- Barbecue Style: For a BBQ twist, reduce the citrus and add a tablespoon of brown sugar, then add a quarter cup of your favorite BBQ sauce after pulling the pork.
How to Make Dutch Oven Carnitas
Slow cooked pork in a dutch oven creates the most amazing tender meat. Other than the waiting time involved, this dish is very easy to make. See the notes in the recipe card for pressure cooker instructions.
STEP 1: Salt the pork and let is sit for 30 minutes. Add the olive oil to a large dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, cook the pork until it's golden brown on all sides.
STEP 2: Add all of the remaining ingredients to the pot with the pork and cover. Bake for about 3 hours or until the meat is tender enough to fall apart.
STEP 3: Once the pork has fully cooked, remove the meat and set it aside. Remove any chunks of vegetables and the bay leaves. Return the pot to the stove top. Bring the cooking liquid to a simmer over medium heat and cook until it's reduced by half.
STEP 4: Shred the pork and spread it out on a baking sheet. Pour the reduced braising liquid over the pork and stir to coat it well. For the final step, broil in the oven until it is crispy.
Baking Tip
If you don't have a dutch oven, place the browned pork in a baking dish and add the remaining ingredients. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake as directed.
Storage
Store leftover pork carnitas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat the pork to at least 145 degrees before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, dutch ovens are cast iron pots usually covered in enamel. They are made for both stove and oven use.
Pulled pork is typically seasoned differently and covered with barbecue sauce. Carnitas are a type of pulled pork made in Mexico that is slow cooked with citrus juices, aromatics and spices. Once fully cooked, carnitas are broiled until crispy and served in tacos instead of on buns.
First, you want to make sure to rest the pork before shredding it, so the juices will be contained in the meat. Then, adding the cooking liquid to the pork before broiling helps to keep it moist.
Other gluten free dinner recipes to consider:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Best Dutch Oven Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Pork Butt cut into 3 inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Yellow Onion sliced
- 1 Jalapeno sliced
- 2 Cups Gluten Free Chicken Broth
- ½ Cup Orange Juice
- ¼ Cup Lime Juice
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Bay Leaves
Instructions
- Sprinkle the pork roast with kosher salt and let it rest for 30 minutes.3 pounds Pork Butt, 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- Preheat the oven to 300F degrees.
- Add olive oil to a large dutch oven pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the pork pieces. Be careful not to crowd the pan. Brown the pork on all sides, cooking about 4-5 minutes per side.2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Remove the pot from heat. Add the onion, jalapeno, chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, black pepper and bay leaves.1 Cup Yellow Onion, 1 Jalapeno, 2 Cups Gluten Free Chicken Broth, ½ Cup Orange Juice, ¼ Cup Lime Juice, 6 cloves Garlic, 2 teaspoons Cumin, 2 teaspoons Oregano, 1 teaspoon Chili Powder, 1 teaspoon Black Pepper, 2 Bay Leaves
- Place the cover on the dutch oven and put it in the preheated oven. Braise for 2 ½-3 hours or until the meat is tender enough to fall apart. If you don't have a dutch oven, place everything in a casserole dish and cover it with aluminum foil.
- Once the meat is cooked through, remove the dutch oven from the oven. Remove the meat from the cooking liquid and set it aside. Scoop out any large pieces of vegetables and the bay leaves and discard.
- Place the pot with the cooking liquid on the stove over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. It will take about 15 minutes.
- Turn the oven to broil and ensure the top rack is positioned 6-8 inches from the top heating element.
- Transfer the pork pieces to a sheet pan. Use two forks to shred it into smaller pieces. Pour the reduced cooking liquid over the shredded pork. Mix it around to coat the meat with the sauce.
- Place the sheet pan in the oven to broil for about 8 minutes or until the pork is crispy to your taste.
Notes
- Use the saute mode to brown the meat as indicated above.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot. Set the vent to seal and set the pot to manual high pressure for 60 minutes.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the steam to naturally release for 15 minutes then open the valve to release the remaining steam.
- Follow the remaining instructions to shred and crisp the pork, using the saute mode to reduce the cooking liquid.
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
Monica Hoyos says
This recipe is delicious and worked perfectly.
I love to hear this! 🙂