Pulled Pork Carnitas

Name: Pulled Pork Carnitas
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (10 g) kosher salt; 1 tablespoon (7.5 g) dark chili powder; 1 tablespoon (8.5 g) restaurant-style ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon granulated garlic; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 3 to 4 pounds (1.3 to 18 kg) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2½- to 3-inch (6 to 7.5 cm) chunks; 1 white onion, diced; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano; 2 cups (480 ml) cola (preferably Mexican Coke); 1 cup (240 ml) fresh orange juice; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 2 cups (480 ml) cola (preferably Mexican Coke); 1 cup (206 g) beef tallow or pork lard; Grated zest of 1 orange; 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock; 1 cup (206 g) beef tallow or pork lard; 4.5-inch (11 cm)-corn tortillas, for serving; Pico de Gallo or store-bought, for serving; Pico de Gallo or store-bought, for serving

Preparation info

Makes
6 to 8
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Barbacoa

By Brandon Hurtado

Published 2025

About

Remember when I said how versatile pork shoulder is? This is one of those recipes that takes a little bit of effort to prep, but will transport you to Michoacán when you take your first smoky bite of a taco packed with chopped carnitas, and a little bit of savory pork fat drips down your lip.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon (10 g) kosher salt
1 tablespoon (8.5

Americas
United States
Mexico
MichoacÃ¡n
Sandwich
Texas
Gluten-free
Central America

Method

Preheat a smoker to 250°F (120°C) using pecan or post oak wood.
In a small bowl, stir together the spices and season the pork shoulder with them liberally on all sides. Place the pork in the smoker, spreading the chunks so they do not touch or crowd ea