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This Mexican dish made with pork butt is so very delicious. I have eaten carnitas a few times at restaurants, but this is the first time I’ve ever made them myself. The recipe come from The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom.

Pork Carnitas

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 pound Pork butt, cut into 4” chunks
2 Tablespoons cooking fat
1/2 onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 sliced green onions
Juice of 1/2 a lime

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix 1 tablespoon of the salt with the pepper. Season Pork with mixture.

In a large, heavy, oven safe pot on medium heat, melt cooking fat. When hot, add pork and brown on all sides. Remove pork from pot and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add onions, cook 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add 1 cup of water, the chili powder, and cinnamon. Increase heat to medium high, add pork back to pot, and bring to a boil.

Cover the pot and transfer to oven. Bake for 2 1/2 hours, turning meat after each hour.

Shred pork and add green onions and lime juice. Season with remaining 1/2 tablespoon salt.



Notes: I used lard; that is the fat traditionally used in Mexico.

A cast iron pot works well for this recipe.

It can be served on corn tortillas, a bed of lettuce, rice, or cauliflower “rice.”

It is super delicious.

Sounds amazing!

Sounds good!

I usually just add a jar of salsa and a can of green chilies to a pork butt that I seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper then cook it in the crockpot. When tender I shred it and serve on warm corn tortillas with shredded cheese, sour cream and green onions.

I've had it similar to that too Patrice. My grandma makes it like that, and it is very good! With the carnitas, frying the meat in lard, and then roasting it in the oven takes the flavor to a whole new level. The meat get super tender, but there are crispy, delicious spots from frying in the fat. I am going to have to fight the kids for the leftovers today at lunch time.

One thing I also changed about the recipe, but forgot to mention, is the amount of lard I used. The recipe calls for a mere 2 tablespoons of lard, while many traditional recipes call for 2 pounds of lard. I ended up going with 1/2 a cup.

Grandma Nettie always browned her roasts in bacon grease before she roasted them. It is next level for sure.

Sounds yummy, I love crispy bits!