Mexican Pulled Pork Carnitas

Why This is the Best Recipe

Pork shoulder is one of my husband's all-time favorite cuts of meat but I think this is the best Mexican pulled pork carnitas recipe because:

1. Easy Prep: There is so very little hands-on work required. Most of it is just rubbing the meat with seasonings and letting it cook.
2. SO Tender: The meat just falls right off the bone. You'll have no trouble shredding it.
3. Amazing Flavor: The basting and seasonings give the pork a gorgeous deep caramel color with crispy edges everyone will be fighting over.
4. Freezer Friendly: If you're not serving a big crowd right now, you should still make this easy recipe so you can freeze the leftovers for easy dinners all season long.
5. Flexible Dinner Ideas: There are so many yummy ways to serve the pulled pork for dinner. Be sure to see my menu suggestions at the bottom.

Ingredients

This easy Mexican pulled pork only needs a few ingredients:

• Bone-In Pork Butt: You may see it labeled as a pork shoulder, a pork butt, or a pork shoulder butt roast.
• Sugar
• Kosher Salt
• Chili Powder
• Cumin
• Garlic Salt
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• Oregano
• Paprika
• Limes
• Orange Juice

Equipment You Need

This is actually a very simple recipe that doesn't require fancy tools or skills.

However, if you've never made a pork roast this large before, you should definitely check that you have a roasting pan that is large enough to contain it.

I have a 13 x 16-inch roasting pan with a rack insert that I bought for our Thanksgiving turkey. It was the only thing in my entire kitchen large enough to fit the pork.

Salt the Pork Overnight

It is important to start the prep work the night before. The pork shoulder needs to be seasoned with a mixture of sugar and salt and rest for 12 hours before you cook it.

Now, do not panic at the amount of sugar and salt involved in this step. It is going to feel like a crazy amount.

You will be brushing off most of that coating before it gets cooked.

You combine the sugar and salt and rub it all over the pork butt.

This step is very important because:

1. Seasons the Meat: The salt and sugar will season the meat overnight. The rub will help balance the spices you'll add during the baking process.
2. Tenderizes the Meat: The salt helps to break down the meat to make it more succulent and easier to shred once you've roasted it.
3. Crispy Coating: The goal is to achieve a crispy caramelized crust on the carnitas while keeping the inside of the roast tender and juicy.

Then just cover the pork with aluminum foil and store in the fridge overnight.

Baking Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Use a pastry brush to remove as much of the salt and sugar from the top as you can.

I did this while the pork was in the roasting pan with the rack. When I was done brushing, I lifted the rack out so I could wash the bottom of the roasting pan and remove the excess salt and sugar.

You'll be basting the pork as it roasts so you don't want all that extra salt and sugar to flavor the juices.

Then use a very sharp knife to cut cross hatch marks over the top fat layer of the meat like this:

Place the pork butt in the oven and roast it for 7 hours.

After about an hour, you'll notice juices gathering in the roasting pan. At this point you can start to baste it once per hour for the duration.

Spice Rub

The pork shoulder will roast all by itself for that first 7 hours.

It is in the last hour that you will rub it down with some more seasonings.

Combine the chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl and have them ready to go.

Sprinkle the dry Mexican seasonings over the top of the roasted pork butt.

Try to get the spices into all the nooks and crannies that you can.

Roast the pork for one more hour, basting it as needed.

The spices can burn very quickly so you may want to loosely tent the meat with aluminum foil to prevent that from happening.

Glaze the Pork

The pork is ready when the meat is practically falling off the bone.

Remove the pork from the oven and reset the oven to 500°F.

Combine the juice from the limes and the orange juice. Brush the juices over the top of the pork and return it to the oven for 10 - 15 minutes for the final, delicious glaze.

Shred the Pork

Once the Mexican pulled pork is finished cooking, it is time to shred the meat.

Use two forks to pull the meat into smaller chunks.

You may find it easier to remove larger pieces of the roast and transfer them to a large mixing bowl and work there.

You can serve the meat immediately or freeze it for future use.

Make Ahead and Freezer Tips

Roasting the Mexican pulled pork can feel like an all-day project, but truly the time you'll spend hands-on is very minimal.

It is worth the investment because in the end you'll have so much meat to use for easy dinners if you freeze it in smaller portions.

To freeze the pulled pork:

1. Shred the Meat
2. Let it Cool Completely: You can do this on the counter or in your fridge if you prefer.
3. Store it in Air Tight Containers
4. Freeze for Up to 3 Months for Best Results

To avoid freezer burn:

• Cooling the meat reduces the ice crystals forming from steam still coming from the warm meat.
• Store the leftovers in air tight containers that allow you to squeeze out as much air as possible. A freezer-friendly ziptop baggie is perfect for this.

To use the frozen meat:

• Thaw the pulled pork in your fridge overnight.
• Reheat it gently in the microwave with just a tiny splash of water or chicken stock.

Serving Suggestions

Our family's favorite way to use the Mexican pulled pork is to make carnitas street tacos on corn or flour tortillas with chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and sour cream and/or salsa.

You could also use the shredded carnitas to make:

Mexican Pulled Pork Rice Bowls: Top either jasmine rice or my favorite Mexican rice with pork and add your favorite taco toppings.

Mexican Pulled Pork Carnitas Burritos: Load up a giant burrito wrap with rice, the pulled pork, salsa, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Carnitas Nachos: Bake a pan of cheesy nachos with the shredded meat scattered over the top.

Mexican Carnitas Salads: Pile your plate with crispy romaine lettuce and use the shredded meat as the protein. Use salsa as a dressing or top it with my chunky corn salsa for crunch.

Carnitas Quesadillas: Tuck bits of shredded meat into family style quesadillas.

More Mexican Recipes

My kids could eat tacos every single night of the week, we are big Mexican food fans around here.

Don't miss some of our other favorite recipes: