Carnitas de Puerco

This Carnitas de Puerco recipe uses with pork butt, onion, limes, spices, and ancho chiles. This is the most flavorful Carnitas recipe ever!

This is a simple Carnitas recipe used to make a ton of Mexican dishes. With this Carnitas recipe, you can make tacos, tostadas, and even tamales! This Carnitas recipe uses with pork butt, onion, limes, spices, and ancho chiles.

What are ancho chiles? 

Poblano peppers originated from Puebla, Mexico, which is how they received its name. Poblano peppers are extremely versatile. Ancho chiles are poblano peppers! It has mild to medium heat with hints of fruity flavor. Mexican chefs use chiles anchos for mole and other sauces.

When my American friends think carnitas and they think of a meat they put on their chipotle bowl. While this is true, in Mexico, carnitas usually is a meat topping on a taco, enchiladas and tamales. Other types of tacos are al pastor, asada, chorizo, barbacoa, lengua and cabeza. Meat is not wasted in Mexico!

How to make Carnitas de Puerco:

Start by putting the 2 destemmed and deseeded ancho chiles in a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes. 

Rub cumin, oregano, salt and pepper on the pork shoulder. Cut the pork into cubes and place in the slow cooker or pressure cooker. 

After, place chopped onion, minced garlic, ancho chiles with the water, broth, juice and zest of lime, and 1 bay leaf. For the slow cooker: cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours. For the pressure cooker: cook on high for 60 minutes.

(Optional) Preheat oven to broil. Use tongs to take the pork out and place on a baking dish. Throw the ancho chiles and the bay leaf out. Using two forks, shred the meat and take the bones out. Reserve ½ cup or 1 cup of the juice in the crockpot. Put the shredded meat in the oven to broil for 5 minutes. This will crisp the ends of the meat and provide a delicious texture!

Take the meat out of the oven and garnish with chopped cilantro.

This dish pairs well with Sopa Seca de Fideos, Cheese Stuffed Poblano Peppers. You can use this carnitas recipe to make Tamales, Birria Tacos or Tortas Ahogadas.

Carnitas de Puerco

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• Author: Maxine Dubois
• Total Time: 4 hours and 5 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

Carnitas de Puerco is pork shoulder that is slow cooked and shredded and served on a taco. It uses ancho chiles, or dried poblano peppers, to give it the best taste!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1.5 lbs bone in pork shoulder
• 2 ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed (optional)
• 1 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoons dried oregano
• ½ cup of chicken, beef or vegetable broth
• 1 lime, juiced and zested
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• Garnish with cilantro, chopped

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Instructions

1. Soak the chiles. Start by putting the 2 destemmed and deseeded ancho chiles in a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes to rehydrate. 
2. Season the pork. Rub cumin, oregano, salt and pepper on the pork shoulder. Cut the pork into cubes and place in the pressure/slow cooker. 
3. Cook in Slow Cooker/Pressure Cooker. Place chopped onion, minced garlic, ancho chiles with ¼ cup of its water, broth, juice and zest of lime, and 1 bay leaf. For Slow Cooker: Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours. For Pressure Cooker: Pressure cook on high for 60 minutes. Quick release after. 
4. Preheat oven to broil (optional for crispiness). When the carnitas are done, use tongs to take the meat out and place on a baking dish. Throw the ancho chiles, bones, and the bay leaf out. Using two forks, shred the meat. Reserve ½ cup of the juice in the crockpot. Put the shredded meat in the oven to broil for 5 minutes. This will crisp the ends of the meat and provide a delicious texture!
5. Serve. Take the meat out of the oven and garnish with chopped cilantro. 

Notes

• I would fry the tortilla to serve as a tostada. It give it that crunch you need!
• Ancho Chiles are difficult to find. You can always add a teaspoon of chili powder if you still want a nice spice to your carnitas. 

• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Slow Cooker
• Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 227
• Sodium: 873 mg
• Fat: 12 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Carbohydrates: 0 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 29 g
• Cholesterol: 66 mg