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+ servings
Two carnita tacos on a small brown plate with a lime on the side and a bowl of red salsa.
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Tacos De Carnitas

This Tacos De Carnitas recipe may well be the most tender, moist, and flavorful you’ve ever had! High returns for minimal effort. The pork is cooked in the oven (versus deep fried in lard) until the meat pulls apart effortlessly. 
Course Main Course, Tacos
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings 10 people
Calories 154kcal
Author Ana Frias

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs pork shoulder or boston butt (with some fat on it) cut into 4-inch chunks
  • tablespoon kosher salt
  • teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 2 teaspoons granulated garlic or garlic powder
  • 1 cup coca-cola
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup orange juice

Garnishes

  • Pickled onions, chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice are a must!
  • Also chile de arbol or tomatillo salsa.
  • Chopped avocado.

Instructions

  • Season the pork on all sides with the kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic, then place it in a roasting pan. Pour the coke, milk, and orange juice over the pork.
    4 lbs pork shoulder or boston butt (with some fat on it), 1½ tablespoon kosher salt, 1½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper, 2 teaspoons granulated garlic or garlic powder, 1 cup coca-cola, 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup orange juice
  • Roast uncovered for 2 hours at 350, turning occasionally until it is fork tender. Remove most of the juices, along any large pieces of fat from the roast if any. (keep some pork juice in the pan to prevent it from drying out too much).
  • Place some of the pork chunks in a bowl and shred with two forks (or your hands!). Return the shredded pork to the pan and repeat with the remaining of the pork.
  • Brush the shredded pork with the remaining pan juices and slide the roasting pan under the broiler until crisp and browned. About 15 minutes.
  • Serve on tacos with your favorite toppings and side dishes.

Nutrition

Serving: 4oz | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 497mg | Potassium: 65mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 9mg