Tex Mex Carnitas
Succulent, crispy, and bursting with bold flavors, Tex Mex Carnitas are the ultimate crowd-pleaser for your next taco night. This recipe transforms tender, slow-cooked pork shoulder—seasoned with a fragrant blend of chili powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano—into golden, caramelized perfection with a quick pan-fry. Infused with the bright zest of freshly squeezed orange and lime juices, the pork is both juicy and packed with flavor. Serve these irresistible carnitas in warm tortillas and pile on toppings like pico de gallo, creamy sour cream, crumbled Cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro for an authentic Tex-Mex experience. Perfect for family dinners or festive gatherings, these tacos will have everyone coming back for seconds! Keywords: Tex Mex carnitas, easy carnitas recipe, crispy pork tacos, Tex-Mex taco recipe, slow-cooked pork carnitas.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 4 lbs Pork shoulder (boneless)
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground black pepper
- 2 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tbsp Chili powder
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 1 tbsp Oregano (dried)
- 4 cloves Garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 cup Orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 cup Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 cup Chicken broth
- 2 pieces Bay leaves
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil (or lard)
- 12 pieces Corn or flour tortillas
- 1 cup Pico de gallo
- 1 cup Sour cream
- 0.5 cup Cilantro (chopped)
- 0.5 cup Cotija cheese (crumbled)
- 4 pieces Lime wedges (for serving)
Instructions
Trim any excess fat from the pork shoulder and cut it into large chunks (about 3 to 4 inches).
In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and oregano.
Rub the spice mixture all over the pork chunks, ensuring even coverage.
In a large Dutch oven or slow cooker, add the seasoned pork, minced garlic, orange juice, lime juice, chicken broth, and bay leaves.
If using a Dutch oven, cover with a lid and cook in a preheated oven at 325°F (160°C) for about 3 to 4 hours, or until the pork is fork-tender. For a slow cooker, cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
Once cooked, remove the pork from the cooking liquid and shred it with two forks. Skim any fat from the surface of the cooking liquid and set about 1 cup aside for later.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In batches, add the shredded pork to the skillet and cook until the edges are golden and crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes per batch. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid over the pork as it crisps to keep it moist.
Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or on a griddle until pliable.
Assemble the carnitas tacos by filling each tortilla with crispy pork and topping with pico de gallo, sour cream, chopped cilantro, Cotija cheese, and a squeeze of lime juice.
Serve immediately with additional lime wedges on the side.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
5800 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 459.0 g | 588% | |
| Saturated Fat | 174.0 g | 870% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 1435 mg | 478% | |
| Sodium | 8564 mg | 372% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 97.4 g | 35% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 15.1 g | 54% | |
| Total Sugars | 47.1 g | ||
| Protein | 361.1 g | 722% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.3 mcg | 2% | |
| Calcium | 1162 mg | 89% | |
| Iron | 32.5 mg | 181% | |
| Potassium | 6838 mg | 145% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
