Crispy Carnitas Street Tacos
These Crispy Carnitas Street Tacos are made from scratch with juicy Dutch oven-braised pork that’s fried up crisp, then finished with onion, cilantro, lime, salsa, and crema for a crowd-friendly taco night.
Servings: 16 (5- inch) Tacos
Calories: 327kcal
Equipment
- 5- or 6-Quart Dutch Oven Or similar large, oven-safe pot with lid.
- Large Cast Iron Skillet or Griddle
- Instant Read Digital Thermometer Optional
Ingredients
Overnight Dry Rub and Pork
- 6 lbs. Pork Shoulder or Boston Butt - Preferably Boneless
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt ½ Teaspoon Per Pound of Meat
- 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Oregano
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
Braising Liquid
- 2 Cups Chicken Stock
- Juice of 2 Oranges and their husks
- Juice of 2 Limes and their husks
- 1 Onion Quartered
- 6-8 Whole Cloves of Garlic Peeled
- 3 Bay Leaves
Taco Assembly
- 16 Homemade Corn Tortillas Or store-bought
- White Onion Finely Minced
- Cilantro Finely Minced
- Lime Wedges
- Mexican Crema
- Red Taqueria Salsa
- Optional: Sliced Jalapenos, Pickled Red Onions, Salsa Verde, Cotija, or Queso Fresco.
Instructions
- Overnight Dry Rub: Cut the pork shoulder into 1½- to 2-inch chunks and place it in a large bowl or on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Mix the kosher salt, chili powder, oregano, cumin, coriander, and black pepper together. Coat the pork evenly with the dry rub, then refrigerate uncovered overnight.
- Braise the Pork: The next day, preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Add the seasoned pork to a large Dutch oven with the chicken stock, orange juice, lime juice, onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
- Bring the liquid to a boil on the stovetop over medium-high heat, then partially cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to the oven.
- Braise for 2 ½ to 3 hours, stirring once or twice, until the pork is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork. The internal temperature should be at least 200°F on an instant read digitial thermometer.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and discard the orange husks, lime husks, and bay leaves. Keep the onion and garlic in the braising liquid (these fry beautifully with the pork).
- Fry the Carnitas: Preheat a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until lightly smoking. Add the pork and fry in batches until well browned and crisp around the edges, about 5–8 minutes per batch. Gently break up the pork into bite-sized chunks while it fries.
- Street Taco Assembly: Warm the tortillas, then fill each one with crispy carnitas. Top with finely minced onion, cilantro, lime juice, salsa, crema, jalapeños, pickled onions, or any other toppings you like.
Notes
- Season overnight if possible: The dry rub gives the salt time to season the pork more deeply. For same-day carnitas, season as early as you can.
- Cut the pork evenly: Roughly 2-inch chunks cook evenly and become tender at the same time.
- Braise until fork-tender: The pork should pull apart easily but still have some structure. If it feels tough, keep braising. Look for an internal temperature of at least 200°F.
- Crisp in batches: Fry the pork in a single layer so it browns instead of steaming.
- Reheat gently: Warm leftovers with a splash of water, chicken stock, or braising liquid so the pork stays juicy.
Nutrition
Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 193mg | Potassium: 694mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 169IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg
