Authentic Pork Homemade Carnitas
An authentic carnitas recipe with lower carbs, slow-cooked, tender pieces of pork then broiled to crisp perfection. The ultimate flavor for tacos de Carnitas.
Pork
The best pork to for this recipe is a Pork Butt Roast. You’ll want to trim the majority of the fat off. If your roast has a bone, they are not straight and will have a slight curve, use caution when cutting around.
Using Citrus
Using orange and lime juice in this recipe helps to braise the pork while cooking. The total carbohydrates in a small orange are between 11-16 total carbs, and 2 limes are approximately 15 total carbs. BUT, while we cook the fruit with the pork, we don’t consume the juices in full. While the carb totals listed do include the entire total of fruit, the amount will be fewer. Broken into 10-12 servings for this recipe, you’ll get a total carb count of around 2.5-3.5 total carbs per serving. We stay low carb and low sugar while also not sacrificing flavor. The size of your orange will increase or decrease the total grams of carbohydrates.
Shells
Low carb shells fill our markets but tend to contain ingredients and variations of ingredients that can create havoc in the body.
If you love corn tortillas, try my Roasted Pepita Seed Tortillas they can be baked prior to eating for a crunchy corn tortilla feel.
Provolone cheese slices can also be used as a tortilla shell and omit the need for adding cheese to your tacos. Sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper or chili powder before baking. This is a great write-up on instructions for cheese shells
Romaine lettuce is another great shell for tacos that I utilize often. Simple and a great transporter of taco to mouth.
You can also make an amazing taco salad. The carnitas also go well in my taco casserole as a substitute for ground beef.
You can check that recipe out HERE
I’d love to see your pics of inspiration, find me on social media platforms.
Homemade Carnitas
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Skillet
- Baking Sheet OR Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- Aluminum Foil OR Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 Salt and Pepper To coat meat pieces
- 2-3 pounds Pork Butt Cut into 1-2 inch cubes
- 2 Tbsp Avocado Oil
- ⅓ Cup Onion Chopped into large pieces
- 1 small Orange Cut into slices and quarters
- 2 medium Limes Cut into slices and quarters
- 4 Clove Garlic Cut into slices
- 2 Tsp Ground Cumin
- 2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
- ½ Tsp Paprika
- 1 Tsp Cinnamon
- ½ Cup Cilantro, fresh
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° and start skillet on medium-high heat
- Prepare dutch oven or baking sheet lined with aluminum foil
- Cut oranges, limes, onion and garlic, set aside. Wash and tear cilantro from stems
- Mix lemon juice and water into a small prep bowl and set aside
- Cut pork butt into 1-2 inch pieces, trim off fat and season with salt and pepper
- Add oil to skillet, work in groups to add pork cubes and brown on each side.
- Transfer browned pork to your baking pan
- Add additional oil to skillet if needed, add garlic and onion, cook on medium high for 2 minutes before distributing over and around pork cubes in your baking pan
- Deglaze skillet with lemon water, scrape over meat mixture
- Combine Cumin, Cayenne, Paprika, Cinnamon, and 1 tsp salt and pepper. Mix well, set aside
- Add cilantro,oranges and limes throughout the meat. Sprinkle with the seasoning
- Wrap aluminum foil up on sides to completely enclose the meat mixture or place lid on dutch oven (if using)
- Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours
- Remove from oven, separate meat from oranges and limes, strain juices and set aside.
- Heat oven to 450°
- Shred meat and place on foil-lined baking sheet
- Strain juices and lightly spoon over shredded meat.
- Bake at 450° uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until you see edges of meat begin to crisp.
- Serve on your favorite low carb taco shell, over a salad or with a side of cilantro lime cauliflower rice. Freezes well in small batches,
Notes
