Transport your tastebuds to Cuba with these flavorful and tender slow-cooked pork carnitas. Generously seasoned with a spice blend of salt, cumin, cinnamon, Chinese five-spice, and cayenne, pork shoulder is roasted low and slow until fork tender. Garlic, bay leaves, and orange peel infuse the meat with savory citrus notes. After 3-3 1/2 hours in the oven, the pork is crisped under the broiler resulting in irresistible bits of caramelized edges. Served with fresh cilantro, onion, salsa, and warm tortillas, this Cuban-inspired carnitas dish will fill your kitchen with tempting aromas and delight family and friends.
Amazing Cuban Pork Carnitas
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Cook time:
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Serves: 12
Transport your tastebuds to Cuba with these flavorful and tender slow-cooked pork carnitas. Generously seasoned with a spice blend of salt, cumin, cinnamon, Chinese five-spice, and cayenne, pork shoulder is roasted low and slow until fork tender. Garlic, bay leaves, and orange peel infuse the meat with savory citrus notes. After 3-3½ hours in the oven, the pork is crisped under the broiler resulting in irresistible bits of caramelized edges. Served with fresh cilantro, onion, salsa, and warm tortillas, this Cuban-inspired carnitas dish will fill your kitchen with tempting aromas and delight family and friends.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless pork butt (shoulder), rind removed, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp kosher salt (this needs to be salted generously!)
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp Chinese 5-spice
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 orange, peel and juice
- 8 cloves peeled whole garlic.
- 2 bay leaves, torn in half.
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275 F.
- Cut pork into 1 ½- 2” pieces, making sure to keep all the fat. Place into bowl.
- Create mixture of salt, cumin, cinnamon, 5-spice, cayenne, and black pepper. Drizzle meat with olive oil then cover generously with the spice mixture and mix thoroughly and then place the meat (and reserved fat) into a 9x12 baking dish.
- Add the 8 garlic cloves, bay leaves, orange peel (make sure the peel is very thin to avoid bitterness) and orange juice into the baking dish.
- Cover tightly with heavy duty foil and place in oven.
- Roast at 275 F. for about 3 to 3½ hours or until fork tender and remove from oven. Place the oven on broil with the rack about 6 inches from the broiler.
- Move the meat into a colander over a bowl temporarily, remove the garlic cloves, bay leaves and orange peel and discard. Then pour reserved juice over the meat in the colander.
- Place the meat back into the colander and drizzle some of the reserved juice over the top. Place under the broiler for 5 minutes and check for crispiness, repeat checking every 5 minutes until top of cubes are crispy. You are now ready to serve.
- Serve on fresh keto tortillas with salsa of your choice (we use the tomatillo salsa below), cilantro, onion, and whatever other toppings you desire.