These Pork Carnitas Street Tacos are crispy on the outside, tender inside, and packed with savory, citrus-kissed flavor. Slow-cooked and seasoned simply, they make a perfect centerpiece for taco night, a casual dinner, or any gathering.
I usually cook a large batch of carnitas because they disappear fast — often in one sitting. They’re just that good.
Why This Recipe Works:
- Crispy and tender texture: The pork is slow-simmered until fall-apart tender, then finished in the oven to get those crispy edges.
- Deep, authentic flavor: A straightforward spice mix combined with bright citrus creates a rich, savory profile reminiscent of street tacos.
- Feeds a crowd: This method scales easily, so it’s perfect for family meals or entertaining.
- Customizable: Top with your favorite salsas, fresh onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime to make them your own.
I love tacos and living in the Southwest gives me plenty of chances to try many styles and flavors.
What You Need For Carnitas Tacos:
Pork butt (shoulder): A fattier cut that becomes tender and flavorful when cooked slowly. You can use boneless or bone-in.
Spices: A simple blend—cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and oregano—delivers classic carnitas flavor.
Orange: Sliced orange adds bright citrus notes that complement the savory spices and pork.
Beef broth: A flavorful braising liquid that keeps the meat moist and infuses depth.
How to Make Pork Carnitas Street Tacos:
- Step 1: Trim excess fat, cut the pork into 3–4 large chunks, and rub all sides with salt.
- Step 2: Heat oil in a heavy stock pot and brown the pork on all sides, about 7–10 minutes, turning to avoid burning.
- Step 3: Add the spices, onion, orange slices, lime juice, and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 1–1.5 hours, until the pork is cooked through and tender. For shreddable carnitas, aim for an internal temperature between 200°F and 210°F.
- Step 4: Remove the pork with a slotted spoon, shred it with forks, and reserve the cooking liquid. Spread the shredded pork on a baking sheet and spoon some of the reserved broth over it.
- Step 5: Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, spoon more of the reserved broth over the pork, then bake another 10 minutes to crisp the edges.
- Step 6: Warm or lightly fry corn tortillas, assemble tacos with a spoonful of shredded carnitas, add red chile sauce or your favorite salsa, chopped white onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pork shoulder and pork butt refer to the same general cut from the pig’s shoulder. It’s well suited for slow cooking and shredding, making it ideal for tacos and other dishes.
While pork is safe at 145°F, cooking pork butt to 200–210°F breaks down connective tissue and produces tender, shreddable meat ideal for carnitas.
Classic toppings include red chile sauce, chopped white onion, fresh cilantro, and lime. You can also use cilantro-lime crema, mango or pineapple salsa, or roasted tomatillo salsa for variety.
These tacos pair nicely with refreshing drinks like lemonade or a cold fruit slushy.
More Related Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, explore other dinner ideas and taco variations for more inspiration.
-
Churro Cheesecake
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Buttermilk Chocolate Cake Recipe
-
Lucky Charms Cookies
-
Easy Lemon Crinkle Cookies
If you try this recipe, please leave a review and a comment — I appreciate hearing how it turned out for you.
Video
Pork Carnitas Street Tacos
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs pork butt
- 2 tbs oil
- 2-4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon lime juice
- ½ onion chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tbs garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 orange sliced into rounds
- 32 oz beef broth
- ½ batch red chile sauce (optional)
- 12-15 corn tortillas
Instructions
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Trim the fat and cut the pork into several large chunks, then rub with salt.
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Heat oil in a heavy pot and brown the pork on all sides for 7–10 minutes, turning frequently to avoid burning.
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Add lime juice, chopped onion, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, orange slices, and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 1–1.5 hours, until very tender. Aim for 200–210°F for easy shredding.
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Remove the pork with a slotted spoon, reserve the cooking liquid, and shred the meat with two forks. Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Spread shredded pork on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spoon a generous amount of the reserved broth over it, and bake 10 minutes. Spoon more broth and bake another 10 minutes to crisp the edges.
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Warm or fry tortillas, assemble with carnitas, red chile sauce or salsa, chopped onion, cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- For shreddable carnitas, cook pork until connective tissue breaks down — 200–210°F yields the best texture.
- Serve with red chile sauce for an authentic touch or swap in cilantro-lime crema, mango salsa, or tomatillo salsa.
- Reserve the braising liquid to keep the shredded pork moist and to help crisp it in the oven.