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Crispy Pork Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Onion

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A delicious recipe featuring slow-cooked, tender pork shoulder shredded and crisped to perfection, paired with bright, tangy homemade pickled onions and served on warm corn tortillas.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2–3 lbs pork shoulder (900g-1.4kg)
  • 1 cup orange juice (240ml)
  • 2 tbsp lime juice (30ml)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, quartered
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1½ tsp salt, to taste
  • 1 tsp black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • For the pickled onions:
  • 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar (240ml)
  • 1 cup water (240ml)
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes
  • For serving:
  • 8–10 small corn tortillas
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Lime wedges
  • Crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese (optional)

Instructions

  1. Trim excess fat from pork shoulder if desired and cut into 3-inch chunks.
  2. Place pork chunks in a Dutch oven or slow cooker. Add orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, quartered onion, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Pour in about 1 cup water to cover pork.
  3. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low, cover, and cook gently for 2 hours until pork is fork-tender.
  4. While pork cooks, combine apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add sliced red onions and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Remove pork from pot, discard bay leaves and large onion pieces. Shred pork with two forks, removing large fat chunks.
  6. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add shredded pork in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until golden and crispy on the bottom. Flip or stir and crisp the other side for another 3-4 minutes. Work in batches if needed.
  7. Warm corn tortillas in a dry skillet or wrapped in foil in the oven for about 5 minutes.
  8. Assemble tacos by spooning crispy pork onto tortillas, topping with pickled onions, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

[‘Start with less salt and adjust after cooking to avoid oversalting.’, ‘Crisp pork in batches to avoid steaming and ensure crunchiness.’, ‘Pickled onions improve if made a day ahead and chilled.’, ‘Use neutral oil with a high smoke point for crisping, such as vegetable or canola oil.’, ‘Reheat leftover pork in a skillet to restore crispiness; avoid microwaving.’, ‘For gluten-free or paleo diets, use corn tortillas or lettuce wraps.’, ‘Optional: add chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for a spicy kick.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: pork carnitas, crispy pork, tacos, pickled onions, Mexican recipe, slow cooked pork, easy tacos, homemade carnitas

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