Beef Carnitas

4.34 from 3 votes

With very little prep time, these Mexican-inspired Beef Carnitas are so incredibly tender, and extremely flavorful, with a touch of crispiness. They are perfect for tacos, burritos, quesadillas or even on top of nachos.

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Total Time4 10

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Calories: 294kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

6 Quart Dutch Oven

Ingredients

4 pound beef chuck or blade, boneless, cut into 2 inch cubes
1 medium green bell pepper chopped
1 medium red bell pepper chopped
1 medium onion peeled and cut in half
1 orange juice and all
2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
7 ounces pickled jalapenos with juice (1 can)
4 cups water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Combine ingredients: Place the meat in a Dutch oven or oven safe pot, and add the beef, peppers, onion, juice from the orange and the remaining orange halves, Cajun seasoning, jalapeños and water. You should have enough water to cover everything in the pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cook: Cover the pot and place it in the oven and cook for 3 hours or until the meat falls apart when prodded with a fork. You can also cook this on the stovetop over low heat for 4 hours.
Remove the meat: Remove the meat from the pot using a slotted spoon and place it on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Remove everything else from the pot except the liquid using a slotted spoon and discard. Cook the liquid over medium high heat for 20 minutes or until it reduces to about a cup.
Shred the meat: Using 2 forks, shred the meat into smaller pieces. Pour the reduced liquid over the shredded meat.
Broil meat: Place the baking sheet under the broiler for about 5 to 10 minutes or until browned and crispy. Watch it so that it doesn't burn, each oven is different. Flip the meat and broil for another 5 minutes until brown and crispy.
Serve: Serve on tacos or burritos.

Notes

Nutritional information is for beef carnitas only.
Get adventurous using different spice mixtures like salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, onion powder or oregano.
I totally recommend the broiling step to get the carnitas nice and crispy. If your oven doesn't have a broiler, heat a skillet with a bit of oil over high heat, add some shredded beef and cook until crispy. This will totally amp up the flavor.
Carnitas can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To freeze, place some of the meat in a freezer zip top bag or other airtight container. Place with a bit of the reserved cooking liquid, seal, and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition