Dutch Oven Carnitas
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With a few simple seasonings and a zesty marinade, Dutch Oven Carnitas will blow you away. Making pork carnitas in the oven will become a way of life once you try this recipe.
Reasons You’ll Love this Recipe
- The flavor – Something magic happens in that dutch oven. This is my favorite way to make them. but here is an affordable (and cute!) Dutch Oven that we like.
- It’s easy – This is a fairly hands off recipe.
- The meat is freezer friendly – Either prep and freeze before cooking or freeze cooked pork after.
- Texture – Whether you use the Dutch Oven or make our Slow Cooker Carnitas or Instant Pot Carnitas, you can crisp up the meat in the broiler at the end.
Ingredients Needed
Like most of our recipes, the ingredients are fairly simple. To make Dutch Oven Carnitas, you’ll need…
You’ll also need a Dutch Oven and a food processor or blender, too.
How to Cook Carnitas in the Dutch Oven
Step 1: Make the zesty marinade
In the food processor or blender, toss in your onion (cut into large chunks), garlic cloves, lime juice, orange juice, and hot sauce. Pulse it a few times until it resembles a thick liquid. Set it aside for now.
Step 2: Season the pork shoulder
In a small bowl, mix together the seasonings: oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
Place the pork shoulder into a Dutch Oven and spread the seasoning all over the pork. By seasoning it in the Dutch Oven, you’re saving a dish and catching any runaway spices.
Step 3: Add the marinade, cover, and bake
Pour the marinade over the top of the pork shoulder. Cover the Dutch Oven with its lid and bake. No need to flip it or even touch it during its baking process.
Optional: Shred the cooked meat and give it 5-10 minutes under the broiler to really crisp it up. I love doing this.
How to Serve Carnitas
This meal is that it can be customized and served in so many different ways. That’s why I love making carnitas as a recipe for large groups. Here are some ideas of how to serve them:
- Change up a taco bar by using carnitas meat instead of ground beef.
- Topping Ideas: Shredded cabbage, diced avocado, pico de gallo, Cojita or Queso Fresco cheese crumbles, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges.
- Make our Cilantro Lime Aioli, Easy Pickled Red Onions, or Pineapple Salsa to serve as a garnish–YUM!
- Make a burrito bowl – Throw this shredded pork in a quesadilla or on top of a “burrito bowl” with brown rice, beans, and your favorite Mexican toppings.
- Nachos – use our Shredded Beef Nachos, or Baked Nachos recipes for another way to use carnitas!
So many options! I personally almost always serve it with our Avocado Lime Salsa.
Make Carnitas Into a Freezer Meal
Dutch Oven Carnitas work really well as a make-ahead freezer meal.
Simply double the recipe and freeze an uncooked batch. When you’re ready to prepare the frozen meal, thaw it using one of these safe methods. Then cook it as directed.
Another freezer meal option for this recipe is to fully cook and shred the meat and freeze it in its juices. When you’re ready to serve, thaw and rewarm the meat in the microwave, slow cooker, or over low heat on stove. This works really well if you want to make freezer meals for 1-2 people or freeze them in small portions.
FAQs
You bet! We have all of the instructions written up for you in our Slow Cooker Carnitas and Instant Pot Carnitas recipes.
Any hot sauce will work. Most people have a favorite that they keep on hand. Personally, I use Frank’s brand, but I see Tabasco at most restaurants.
Both will work. I have found that using a bone-in pork shoulder does yield more tender pork but you don’t get as much meat from the cut.
More Mexican Recipes
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Dutch Oven Carnitas
With a few simple seasonings and a zesty marinade, Dutch Oven Carnitas will blow you away. The outside of the pork gets a crispy, charred edge that is bursting with flavor while the inside remains incredibly moist and practically shreds just by looking at it.
Ingredients
- 1 white or yellow onion, chopped into large chunks
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 cup lime juice* (juice of about 6 limes)
- 3/4 cup orange juice* (juice of about 4 oranges)
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 (3-4 pound) boneless pork shoulder (also known as pork butt or Boston butt), trimmed of excess fat
- 1 teaspoon oregano, crushed in hand
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Optional garnishes: Chopped cilantro, Pineapple Salsa, Pickled Red Onions, Avocado Salsa
*A shortcut is to buy lime juice or orange juice at the store. We recommend buying Nellie and Joes Key West Lime Juice.
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Instructions
- To a food processor or blender, add the onion, garlic cloves, lime juice, orange juice, and hot sauce. Pulse it a few times until it resembles a thick liquid. Set it aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Place the pork shoulder in a Dutch Oven, pat dry with paper towels, and rub the seasoning all over the meat. Pour the marinade over the pork.
- Cover and bake at 300°F for 4 1/2 hours.
- Remove the roast to a wooden cutting board. Use two forks to shred it and then stir it back into the juices in the Dutch oven.
Freeze For Later: Follow Steps 1-2. Pat the pork dry with paper towels, season all over with the rub, and place in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Pour the marinade over the top. Seal and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw completely. Place the pork and marinade in a Dutch oven. Cover and bake at 300°F for 4 1/2 hours, until it shreds easily.
Notes/Tips
Can You Freeze This After It Cooks? Yes. Freeze the shredded pork in its juices. When ready to eat, warm in the microwave, slow cooker, or over low heat on the stove top.
For Crispier Meat: Preheat the broiler. Broil the meat on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet for 3 minutes. Using tongs, turn the meat over and spoon about ¼ cup of the juices from the slow cooker over the meat. Broil another 3 to 4 minutes, or until the edges of the meat start to crisp up and turn brown. Remove from the oven and spoon another ¼ cup of the juices over the cooked pork.
How to Clean Your Dutch Oven: After cooking for 4.5 hours, the marinade will be blackened and sticky at the bottom of the Dutch Oven. Just soak it in some Dawn dish soap (or baking soda and water) and use a metal scrubber to remove. If your pot has a coating on it, use a plastic scrubber.
Make our Slow Cooker Carnitas instead.
Make our Instant Pot Carnitas instead.
This is my go to recipe for cooking pork shoulders. I always use a bone in roast because it adds more flavor. The spices are perfect every time. It’s a family favorite!
Yay! So glad you’ve found a family favorite Joan. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
DELICIOUS and so so tender!
Hi Erin! So glad you enjoy them. 🙂
BEST carnitas recipe!! Packed with lots of flavor and will impress all of your guests!
Thanks for leaving a review Kailey. We know we’re biased, but we think this is the best carnitas recipe too!
This recipe is amazing. I’ve made these in the slow cooker before but something magical happens in that dutch oven. The edges were perfectly crispy and the meat was so moist. Making this way from now on!
Doing a taco bar for a 5-year old’s birthday party and planning to make these carnitas. I’d like to make them before the party but would prefer avoiding the freezer. How long will the cooked meat stay good in the refrigerator?
USDA says leftovers are safe for 3-4 days. (We all know we’ve pushed that limit, but if you’re serving others we’d stick to the recommendations.) Hope that helps! Here’s the link with more from the USDA: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/leftovers-and-food-safety
I love this blog and most of my evening (and breakfast) Meals come from it!!
I have a 5 pound pork butt. Do I need to increase the cooking time? How much?
Hi Meghan. Glad to know our recipes are helping your family! As for the Dutch Oven Carnitas and using a larger roast, I would consider cutting it into 3-4 pieces to make sure it cooks evenly and quickly.I hope that helps!