When I catered a recent build-your-own Tex-Mex bar, these carnitas completely stole the show. Guests piled the juicy, crispy pork into warm tortillas for tacos, loaded it onto sizzling fajitas, wrapped it into burritos, and built colorful burrito bowls stacked high with all their favorite toppings. The aroma of slow-cooked pork, citrus, garlic, and warm spices filled the room long before dinner was served, and by the end of the night there wasn’t much left in the chafer pan.
What really made this recipe memorable was the response afterward. The next day my phone was filled with text messages asking about the carnitas and telling me how much everyone loved them. That’s when you know a recipe is a winner. Slow-roasted until fall-apart tender and finished under the broiler for those irresistible crispy edges, these Tex-Mex carnitas deliver the perfect balance of savory, juicy, citrusy flavor in every bite. Whether you’re feeding a crowd for a party, catering an event, or creating a fun taco-bar experience at home, this recipe is guaranteed to be a hit.
Authentic Carnitas Recipe
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Roasting pan, Dutch oven, or deep foil pan
- Chef knife
- Cutting board
- Aluminum foil or lid
- Fork
Ingredients
Pork
- 5 lb bone-in Boston butt or pork shoulder (2268g)
Aromatics
- 1/2 large white onion 150g, cut into large chunks
- 6 cloves garlic (18g), divided
- Citrus
- 1 orange 200g, quartered
- 1 lime 67g, halved
Seasonings
- 1 tbsp kosher salt (15g)
- 1 tsp black pepper (2g)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (2g)
- 1 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano (1.5g)
- 2 bay leaves 0.5g
- 1/2 cinnamon stick 4g
Fat
- 2 tbsp lard (28g), divided
Secret Ingredient
- 6 oz Mexican Coca-Cola (177g)
Instructions
- Prepare the Pork: Leave most of the fat cap intact, removing only large hard pieces. Cut the pork into large 3 to 4-inch chunks and pat lightly dry with paper towels.
- Season the Pork: Place pork into a large bowl or pan. Add kosher salt, black pepper, cumin, Mexican oregano, 4 smashed garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon lard. Massage the seasonings thoroughly into every piece of pork.
- Marinate for Flavor: Cover tightly and refrigerate for 24 hours to deeply season the meat and help retain moisture. Do not add the onions, citrus, or Coca-Cola at this stage.
- Bring to Room Temperature: Remove the pork from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before cooking to promote even cooking.
- Prepare Aromatics: Cut the onion into large chunks and smash the remaining 2 garlic cloves. No need to mince.
- Prepare Citrus: Quarter the orange and halve the lime. Leave the peels on to add flavor during cooking.
- Build the Cooking Pan: Place the seasoned pork into a roasting pan, Dutch oven, or deep foil pan. Add onion chunks, smashed garlic, orange pieces, lime pieces, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Pour in the Mexican Coca-Cola and add the remaining tablespoon of lard.
- Slow Roast: Cover tightly with a lid or heavy-duty foil. Bake at 300°F until the pork is fork tender and nearly collapses when touched, about 5 to 6 hours.
- Remove Aromatics: Discard bones, bay leaves, citrus peels, and cinnamon stick. Leave the softened onions and garlic in the pan for extra flavor.
- Reserve the Liquid: Carefully collect the cooking juices and rendered fat from the bottom of the pan. Set aside for finishing and holding.
- Shred the Pork: Using forks or gloved hands, shred the pork into medium rustic pieces. Avoid shredding too finely to maintain texture and juicy bites.
- Adjust Seasoning & Serve: Taste and add additional salt or fresh lime juice if needed. The pork should taste slightly bold since tortillas, rice, and toppings will mellow the flavor.