Name: Carnitas tacos
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 300 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 4 lb Boneless pork shoulder; 20 g Kosher salt, weighed; 1 tsp Ground cumin; ¾ tsp Dried Mexican oregano; ⅓ tsp Granulated garlic; ⅓ tsp Black pepper; ½ Fresh orange, scrubbed (about 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed juice); keep the squeezed half; ½ Fresh lime, scrubbed (about 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed juice); keep the squeezed half; ½ Cinnamon stick; 1 Bay leaf; 22–24 Corn tortillas (such as El Milagro); about 5 oz Cotija and Mexican crema, to finish; As needed Lime wedges, hot sauce, pickled jalapeños for the table; 1 lb Dry pinto beans, sorted and rinsed until the water runs mostly clear, no soak; 1 Tbsp Oil, or the carnitas fat from above; 1 Medium yellow onion, fine dice; 1 Small jalapeño, seeded; 3 Cloves garlic, peeled; 4 cups Chicken bone broth; 1½ cups Water; 2½ tsp Better Than Bouillon roasted chicken base (use your preferred variety); ¾ tsp Ground cumin; heaped ½ tsp Smoked paprika; scant ½ tsp Dried Mexican oregano; scant ½ tsp Black pepper; 1 Bay leaf; 1 Tbsp Butter, to finish; 2½ tsp Cider vinegar or lime juice, to finish; 2 lb Frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained well (wet corn bakes heavy); 1 can (14 oz) Sweetened condensed milk (use sweetened condensed milk for this recipe)

Carnitas tacos

Pork shoulder cooked with orange, lime and warm spices, then crisped in a hot pan. Pile it into warm tortillas with cotija, crema and another squeeze of lime.

Published Sep 8, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026

Servings

Total time

About 4–5 hours, or longer if needed; optional overnight seasoning or cooking ahead is extra

Trust the cinnamon stick

Carnitas are simple, but a few details make all the difference. Start with the cinnamon stick. It might sound a little strange in a pot of pork. Trust me on this one. It brings a warm flavor that works really well with the citrus.

Use fresh oranges and limes. Squeeze them yourself, then put the squeezed halves right into the pot, peel and all. They stay in there during the braise. I skip bottled citrus juice here.

Give it time, then get it crisp

If the pork won't pull apart, don't assume you've messed it up. It usually just needs more time. Keep the pot covered, make sure it hasn't dried out and let the pork get tender. Give yourself some room in the day for this one.

I recommend cooking it the day before if you can swing it. Then dinner is mostly reheating and crisping the pork on the stovetop. Give it room in the skillet and leave it alone long enough to brown. Those crisp edges bring a deeper flavor and, in my opinion, a much better bite to the taco.

Instructions

Pork and toppings

Cut the cold pork into 3 to 4-inch chunks. Mix the weighed salt and dry spices, then season every side of the pieces.
If you have time, cover and refrigerate the seasoned pork overnight. Otherwise, go straight to the next step.
Put the pork in a Dutch oven. Squeeze in the fresh orange and lime juice, then add the squeezed halves, peel and all, along with the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Cover tightly. You don't need to sear it or add water to start.
Braise at 300°F. Start checking at three hours. Continue until a fork or probe slides easily into the largest pieces and the pork pulls apart without resistance. If it still fights you, cover and give it more time. Add a splash of water if the pot starts drying out before the pork is tender.
Lift out the pork and shred it while warm. Remove the citrus, cinnamon and bay. Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid, saving a little for crisping. Fold enough of the juices through the pork to keep it moist.
Heat a little reserved fat in a skillet. Add the pork in a single layer and let the underside crisp before turning. Work in batches so it browns. Serve on warmed tortillas with cotija, crema and lime.

Pinto beans

Makes about 6 cups.

In a 6-quart pressure cooker on sauté, cook the onion and jalapeño in the oil for about five minutes. Add garlic and dry spices for 30 seconds.
Add a cup of broth and scrape the base clean. Cancel sauté. Add the beans, remaining broth, water, bouillon and bay.
Cook on high pressure for 48 minutes, then allow a full natural release. Check the beans before serving. Give them more time under pressure if they're still firm.
Remove the bay. Mash about ½ cup of beans and stir back into the pot. Stir in butter and the vinegar or lime. Taste before adding salt.
Let the liquid thicken briefly, then serve.

Mexican corn cakes

Makes about 20 muffin-size cakes; yield depends on the tin.

Heat the oven to 350°F and grease the muffin tin. Roughly puree half the drained corn; leave the rest whole.
Whisk the eggs, condensed milk and melted butter. Stir in the corn.
Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. Fold into the wet ingredients just until combined.
Divide among the cups, leaving room for the cakes to rise. Begin checking around 22 minutes. The centers should be set and the tops should spring back. Continue baking if wet batter remains in the center.
Let the cakes firm up in the tin before turning them out.

Cilantro-lime slaw

Toss the shredded cabbage and carrot with the dressing ingredients just before serving. Taste and adjust.

Carnitas tacos

Trust the cinnamon stick

Give it time, then get it crisp

Watch it in the kitchen

Carnitas tacos

Ingredients

Pork and toppings

Pinto beans

Mexican corn cakes

Cilantro-lime slaw

Instructions

Pork and toppings

Pinto beans

Mexican corn cakes

Cilantro-lime slaw

Recipe notes