Smoked Pork Carnitas
On February 13, 2024 (Updated May 11, 2024)
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These Smoked Pork Carnitas are a delicious, non-traditional way to enjoy carnitas. The slow smoke makes for a rich, melt in your mouth pork with crispy edges. Hop on this pork train and enjoy some great Mexican inspired flavors in the rub with a kiss of heat and a kiss of sweetness.
Can You Make Carnitas from Smoked Pork?
Heck yes you can. While smoking carnitas is not authentic, I still wanted to take those traditional flavors and add a kiss of wood smoke for something unique and delicious.
Traditional carnitas are braised in oil, low and slow, until the pork is fall-apart tender. We get the same results for this recipe by smoking low and slow and then doing a foiled braise. The seasoning blend includes a lot of traditional seasonings mixed in so we still get that classic carnitas flavor.
Finally, crisping the pork in fat is a super crucial last step. It gives you the coveted crispy edges and caramelized flavor that makes carnitas so darn craveable. Don’t leave this step out. It’s worth the extra time and effort to get the pork just right.
Smoked Pork Carnitas
Ever since I posted my recipe and video for Smoked Chile Verde, Todd has been on my case to smoke up some pork carnitas. I finally gave in to the pressure and created this recipe for smoked pork carnitas. This meal has Mexican-inspired flavors in the rub with a kiss of heat and a kiss of sweetness. It’s the perfect balance of flavors, and you’ll find it extremely family-friendly. We ate it for dinner that first night and shredded the meat for tacos. The next day we pulled it out and tossed leftovers on some homemade nachos. Everyone in the family loved this, and you’ll get a good amount of food for your buck.
Smoked Pork Marinade
The magic to these carnitas comes from the marinade. And luck for you, it only calls for 4 ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need for the marinade:
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoons coarse kosher salt
- 2 limes, sliced in half and juiced
- 1 orange, sliced in half and juiced
Simply place the pork in a gallon-sized zip top bag, add the remaining ingredients, and allow the pork to marinate in the refrigerator overnight (around 12 hours).
Tips for Making Carnitas
So you’re ready to make your own delicious pork carnitas, eh? Well then, take a quick peek at these tips to ensure your meat comes out tasting completely divine.
- Crisp in batches. If you have more pork than you need, do the last crisping step in batches. Save the rest of the shredded pork and liquid/fat and crisp up right before serving. This is a great way to reheat it and the crisp edges are fresh and hot every time you want to eat.
- Keep dishes to a minimum. Braise in either a 12″ cast iron skillet or aluminum foil pans. I used foil pans because that’s what I had, but cast iron works great as well.
- Reserve the cooking liquid. You’ll use the oil on top to crisp the meat and the juices underneath to keep it moist and flavorful.
How to Make Pork for Tacos
- Marinate. Place the pork shoulder in a large zip top bag and sprinkle on all sides with kosher salt, then pour over the orange and lime juice. Place the orange and lime rinds in the container with the pork, and then let it marinate for a good 12 hours to let all those flavors soak into the pork.
- Season and smoke pork. Preheat your smoke to 225 degrees F. Remove your pork from the marinade and pat it dry. Combine all of the ingredients for the pork seasoning in a small bowl. Drizzle the pork shoulder with cooking oil and then season the pork on all sides with the dry rub. Smoke with the lid closed for 5-6 hours, until the internal temperature of the shoulder reads about 165 degrees F.
- Braise pork. Transfer pork shoulder to an aluminum pan and pour vegetable oil on in, then place bay leaves and cover with foil. Increase your smoker to 350 degrees F. Place covered pork, close the lid, and smoke until your pork reaches 203 degrees F, about 3-4 hours.
- Rest and shred. Rest the meat at room temperature for at least an hour before shredding. Shred the meat and remove the large bone and any fat or gristle and discard the bay leaves. Save any liquid for the next step.
- Crisp pork. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Use a spoon to separate the oil and fat from the pan drippings. Drizzle the skillet with the saved cooking fats. Place the shredded pork into the hot oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, flipping pieces occasionally to ensure even browning.
- Enjoy. Serve immediately in tacos or burritos, on nachos, or plain. Drizzle more of the reserved cooking liquid, as desired.
More Tasty Pork Recipes
Oh baby, I love me some smoked pork. If you find yourself looking for some tasty smoked pork to make this week, look no further than these other popular recipes from Hey Grill Hey:
Smoked Pork Carnitas Recipe
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Smoked Pork Carnitas
Video
Ingredients
- 1 7-9 pound bone-in pork shoulder
Marinade
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon coarse kosher salt
- 2 limes sliced in half and juiced
- 1 orange sliced in half and juiced
Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Braise
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Marinate the pork. Place the pork shoulder in a large zip top bag or other food-safe container. Coat with cooking oil and sprinkle the shoulder on all sides with kosher salt and pour over the orange and lime juice. Place the orange and lime rinds in the container with the pork and refrigerate for 12 hours (typically overnight).1 7-9 pound bone-in pork shoulder, 1 Tablespoon coarse kosher salt, 2 limes, 1 orange, 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- Preheat the smoker. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F with your favorite hardwood. I recommend pecan or oak for this recipe.
- Season the pork shoulder. Remove your pork from the marinade and pat dry. Combine all of the ingredients for the pork seasoning in a small bowl. Drizzle the pork shoulder with the 2 Tablespoons of cooking oil and spread all around. Season the pork on all sides with the dry rub.1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar, 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon granulated onion, ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder, ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Smoke. Place the pork shoulder on the smoker and close the lid. Smoke for approximately 5-6 hours, or until the internal temperature of the shoulder reads about 165 degrees F.
- Prep to braise. Transfer the pork shoulder to an aluminum pan and pour the ½ cup of vegetable oil over the top. Place the bay leaves on top and cover tightly with foil.2 bay leaves, ½ cup vegetable oil
- Braise the pork. Increase the heat on your smoker to 350 degrees F (this step can also be completed in the oven) and put the covered pan inside and close the lid. Allow to cook for an additional 3-4 hours or until the pork shoulder reaches an internal temperature of 203 degrees, or your thermometer probe slides into the meat like it is sliding into softened butter.
- Rest and shred. Rest the meat at room temperature for at least an hour before shredding. Shred the meat and remove the large bone and any fat or gristle and discard the bay leaves. There will likely be a lot of liquid in the aluminum pan, do not discard this liquid! It is delicious and you’ll need it in the next step.
- Crisp the pork. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Use a spoon (or fat separator) to separate the oil and fat from the pan drippings. Drizzle the skillet with 1-2 Tablespoons of the cooking fats. Place the shredded pork into the hot oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, flipping pieces occasionally to ensure even browning.
- Serve and enjoy. Serve immediately in tacos or burritos, on nachos, or plain! I recommend having the reserved cooking liquid on the side to drizzle on, as desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Second time I’ve made this, first time I followed the recipe exactly, it was a colder day and was raining so it took a while to smoke. I got a late start this time and didn’t want to do it again in the rain so it ended up marinating in the orange/lime for 2 days. Smoked it at 250 for the first couple hours, once it hit 116 degrees I cranked the heat up to 300, then when it hit 168 I cranked up the heat again to 350 and let it go until it hit an internal of 217. From what I could tell the meat was so much more moist this time and the thermometer slid in and out sooo much smoother than last time. It was actually like sliding it in butter as opposed to last time where it took a little effort. Letting it rest now, can’t wait to eat some tacos!!
You lose any smoke flavor if you don’t slow cook it. Secondly, if you want real tender and moist, add some of the pan drippings and let it soak in and skip the crisp part.Anycase, sounds like you just want the pulled pork more traditional than specifically for tacos.
It actually was still very smoky flavor and I did the pan dripping part I just didn’t include that in my comment. Also it tasted more like carnitas this time so I think my method worked out just perfectly for me.
What would you suggest for adjusting cooking time for a 14 lb roast?
This recipe is delicious and simple. Better than what you get in most restaurants and definitely the best pork we’ve ever had hands down! We are so happy that you have shared this delicious recipe with us. We will be making this weekly. So good!! We look forward to trying more recipes from Hey Grill Hey!
EXCELLENT
Was that fat side up or down? Hard to tell from the video.
Place the fat side in whatever orientation it needs to be to be between the meat and heat. It’ll provide a nice, protective barrier.
Made a couple slight alterations and it turned out perfectly. I added smoked paprika to the seasoning. I slow roasted on my charcoal for 4 hours on a low indirect heat. Then transferred to the crockpot on low for 4 hours. Grabbed the bone to pull the meat out, and it literally slid off the bone back into the crockpot. PERFECT.
Outstanding your receipt made me look like a pro on my first try! Feed 50 plus people, very easy. I cooked it the day before and just reheated it. Would recommend this.
I’ve made and enjoyed this recipe multiple times! I kinda winged it this time and then double check the recipe. I’m going to share my experience that I think I will try to duplicate. I used a 8 pound pork butt and trimmed the majority of the fat off of it. Then I sliced horizontally and vertically into the park but to give me inch and a half to 2 inch cubes all around. I then used the seasoning from the recipe and rubbed it in, then let the pork butt sit in the fridge for 24 hours or so. The butt was still frozen when I did this. The next day I added the citrus mix plus some pineapple juice to the pork butt. I let it marinate for approximately 12 hours. Put it on the smoker it took 6 1/2 hours to get to 165. I diced an onion and put some of the onion on the bottom of a aluminum foil pan with some oil, then pulled off the pork butt put in the pan and topped with more oil and more onions and 2 bay leaves. Then I cooked for another three hours at 350. Turned out more amazing than usual. The meat at the bottom of the pan is sweat with the brazed onions and it is crispy all around the top and deep into the slices.Next time I will fallow this recipe but score the butt like a checker board and season the butt ahead of time(maybe follow the directions and only salt before marinade? I did the whole season mix and worked great) cook as directed then dice an onion and put in the foil pan with some oil, add meat, top with oil and bay leaf, then eat too much pork. Thanks, I enjoy hey grill hey recipes.. keep up the good eats
I plan to smoke tomorrow for a party the next day. When I’m done braising, should I shred it at all? Or just leave it whole? Also – how do you suggest reheating if whole or shredded?
Can you substitute the marinade with bottled orange and lime juice instead of fresh? Would love to but on a time crunch and nothing is going to be open when I get off work.