Cast Iron Carnitas
For tacos, for sandwiches, for rice bowls. These carnitas can do no wrong.
Equipment
- Dutch oven
- Cast-iron skillet
Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 4 lb pork butt chopped into large chunks
- 3 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 yellow onion medium, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 48 oz chicken broth
Instructions
- Heat oil in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven oven on high heat.
- Season chopped pork with the kosher salt. Place in dutch oven and brown all sides. (10-15 minutes)
- Add onion, garlic, lime juice, and spices to the dutch oven. Add the chicken broth (pork should be almost completely submerged).
- Bring the chicken broth to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Pork should be fall apart tender.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Transfer your pork to a large cast iron skillet, and begin to shred (see note). Save the cooking liquid.
- Bake 30 minutes, taking it out at the 10 and 20 minute time points to baste with cooking liquid and shred further.
- Serve with rice, tacos, and garnishes to taste.
Notes
- You don’t want to over-shred the pork initially. Doing several stages of shredding and basting will allow for the perfect combination of browning and moisture.
- This recipe freeze-dries very well for later re-hydrating. A camping favorite at my house.
- Want to use up that tasty broth leftover after baking? Try out my Garbanzo Pozole!