Can you substitute apple juice for orange juice in carnitas?

Orange juice is added into carnitas for flavor as well as the acid in the juice breaks down the tough meat making it tender. Apple juice can be used in carnitas in place of orange juice. If using apple juice, you can add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to increase the acidity. You can also use lime juice, lemon juice, or a combination of any of these.

How do you moisten carnitas?

To moisten carnitas that have dried out, you can add a few splashes of any type of broth.

What is difference between pulled pork and carnitas?

Carnitas are a version of pulled pork. The spice combination and the addition of orange or lime juice sets Mexican carnitas apart. American pulled pork is the same cut of meat, slow cooked, or smoked mixed with BBQ sauce most frequently.

The word carnitas translates to "little meats", so technically carnitas can be any type of meat that is shredded, but traditionally Mexican Carnitas are made with shredded pork.

Are pork tacos unhealthy?

Carnitas are high in protein and low in fat, making them one of the healthier taco options. Pork is also high in iron.

How many do 1 pound of carnitas feed?

The rule of thumb is to allot 1/2 pound of uncooked meat per person. This will produce enough meat for 3 well-filled tacos.

Flavor Packed Pork Carnitas

Name: The Best Pork Carnitas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 10 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 – 4 pound boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat; 1 tablespoon cumin; 1 tablespoon kosher salt; 2 teaspoons ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 2 teaspoons ground coriander; 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered; 1 jalapeno, seeded and cut into chunks; 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed; 2 medium oranges

Description

This flavor packed recipe for pork carnitas is a family favorite. I’ve included the slow cooker method that I prefer, as well as Dutch Oven, and Instant Pot instructions.

Ingredients

Scale

3 – 4 pound boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 jalapeno, seeded and cut into chunks
5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 medium oranges

Instructions

Place the trimmed pork shoulder in the bottom of your slow cooker.
In a small bowl whisk together the cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder, and coriander.
Spread the dry rub mixture on both sides of the pork. I like rubbing it in the slow cooker so I don’t lose any of the seasoning.
Add in the onions, jalapeno chunks, and garlic cloves. Squeeze the juice of oranges onto the pork and drop the rind of one orange rind into the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours, until the pork is tender.
Transfer the pork to a plate and cover with foil. Strain the liquid in the slow cooker into a small saucepan and discard the solids (onion, jalapeno, garlic, and orange rind).
If necessary, boil the liquid until it is reduced to about 1cup. Set aside. Reducing it like this intensifies the flavor. The amount of liquid that a pork roast releases varies, so you might be able to skip this step as long as you have 1 cup of liquid.
Preheat your oven to broil and line a large baking sheet with foil. Set aside. *See note
Remove the foil from the pork and shred using a fork. Place the shredded pork onto the lined pan.
Drizzle the reduced liquid onto the shredded pork, and using your hands, mix to coat.
Place the pork under the broiler for 3 – 4 minutes until crispy on the tops.
Serve warm.

Notes

*You can also do this step in a skillet heated to medium-high. Coat the skillet with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and working in batches brown the pork on one side by pressing down in the skillet until crisp. Don’t overcrowd the pan, or it won’t get crispy.

Dutch Oven Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Trim the pork of excess fat. Cut the pork shoulder into large chunks, and season with salt and pepper. Place a large Dutch Oven on the stove top over medium-high heat. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the pot and sear the pork on all sides.
Add in the onions, jalapeno chunks, and garlic cloves. Squeeze the juice of oranges onto the pork and drop the rind of one orange rind. Add in 1/2 cup chicken broth (which is not needed in the slow cooker version). Mix the cumin, chili powder, and coriander together and add to the pot, stirring to combine.
Cover and cook in oven for 3 hours.
Once the meat is fall apart tender, follow the remaining steps from #6 in the recipe as written.

Instant Pot Instructions:

Place the trimmed pork shoulder in the bottom of your Instant Pot.
In a small bowl whisk together the cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder, and coriander.
Spread the dry rub mixture on both sides of the pork. I like rubbing it in the Instant Pot, so I don’t lose any of the seasoning.
Add in the onions, jalapeno chunks, and garlic cloves. Squeeze the juice of oranges onto the pork and drop the rind of one orange rind into the Instant Pot.
Cook on high for 30 minutes, followed by a natural release.
Continue on with the recipe as written from step #6.