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Recipe courtesy of John Conley

Carnitas

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 8 servings
  • Nutritional Analysis
    Per Serving
    Serving Size
    1 of 8 servings
    Calories
    439
    Total Fat
    28
    Saturated Fat
    10
    Carbohydrates
    4
    Dietary Fiber
    0
    Sugar
    1
    Protein
    40
    Cholesterol
    141
    Sodium
    644
  • Total: 3 hr 10 min
  • Prep: 10 min
  • Cook: 3 hr
It does not get any better than slow-roasted carnitas. This recipe differs slightly from what may be served in Old Mexico. Traditional carnitas are cooked in lard, pulled from the oil, chopped, and served directly in tacos and such. This versatile dish is one of our most requested at Salsa Brava. It can be served in tacos, burritos, omelets, or just about anything else you can imagine. We use free-range pork-no hormones, no antibiotics. Our choice for cut of meat is the pork butt. (Not to be confused with the actual pig's butt.) The pork butt is actually a shoulder cut, and it can be purchased with bone-in or out. The bone found in the butt is the clavicle, and any butcher can remove it, if preferred.
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Ingredients

4 tablespoons seasoned salt

4 pounds pork butt, cut into 2-inch cubes, some but not all of the fat removed

1 cup water

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 medium onion, quartered

5 large garlic cloves

Warm tortillas, for serving

Directions

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Watch how to make this recipe.
  1. Sprinkle the pork with the seasoned salt.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Put a roasting grate at the bottom of a roasting pan and pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pan along with the liquid smoke. Arrange the pork on the grate and top with the onion and garlic. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil.
  4. Bake for 2 hours, then remove the cover and bake until the pork is fork-tender, about 1 more hour.
  5. When cooked through, transfer the pork to a large bowl. Shred the meat and stir in the pan juices. Serve with warm tortillas or use when making tacos, tamales, etc.

This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional. It has not been tested for home use.

Recipe courtesy of John Conley, owner of Salsa Brava in Flagstaff, AZ

Show: Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Episode: Return to Route 66

Categories:

Pork Main Dish Appetizer Lunch Cinco de Mayo Recipes for a Crowd Gluten Free

More from:

Mexican Food Favorites

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38 Reviews
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Mary J.

This recipe was excellent. I did not have any seasoned salt, so just used plain salt. Also, I did not use a cooking grate, but everything worked well. I did add more water than the recipe called for.. When the pork became tender after about 3 hours, I turned the heat up to 400 and let the pork brown a bit. The onion caramelized and added a lot of flavor. My preference is for more simply seasoned meat such as in this recipe, made even simpler because I had no seasoned salt. The video version sounds good, too, but this recipe is what I was looking for. The small quantity of liquid smoke gives it that addictive "can't stop eating it" quality.

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