CreatedOct 28, 2025
UpdatedOct 28, 2025

No-Waste Tacos de Carnitas With Salsa Verde

Our carnitas recipe is easier than the traditional bucket-of-lard method, and produces results that are juicy and flavorful with plenty of browned crispy bits.

25 ingredients · 34 steps

Ingredients

Pork Braising

  1. 1

    Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 275°F.

  2. 2

    Season pork with [1 tablespoon] salt and place in a 9x13-inch glass baking dish.

  3. 3

    Split orange into quarters and squeeze juice over pork.

  4. 4

    Nestle squeezed orange pieces, onion quarters, garlic, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick into dish.

  5. 5

    Pour vegetable oil over surface.

  6. 6

    Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake until pork is fork tender, about .

Onion-Cilantro Prep

  1. 7

    Combine diced onion with chopped cilantro.

  2. 8

    Refrigerate until needed.

Pork Straining & Shredding

  1. 9

    Set large fine-mesh strainer over a 1-quart measuring cup or bowl.

  2. 10

    Remove and discard orange peel, onion, garlic, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves.

  3. 11

    Transfer pork, rendered fat, and cooking liquid to strainer and let drain for .

  4. 12

    Transfer pork back to baking dish.

  5. 13

    Skim fat from surface and add back to pork.

  6. 14

    Shred pork into large chunks with fingers or two forks.

  7. 15

    Season to taste with salt and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Salsa Verde

  1. 16

    Add tomatillos, onion quarters, garlic, and jalapeños to saucepan with strained pork liquid.

  2. 17

    Add water until it is about 1 inch below the top of the vegetables.

  3. 18

    Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook until all vegetables are completely tender, about .

  4. 19

    Blend salsa until smooth using immersion blender or countertop blender.

  5. 20

    Season to taste with salt and refrigerate until ready to use.

Broiling Carnitas

  1. 21

    Preheat broiler to high with oven rack 4 inches below heating element.

  2. 22

    Broil pork until brown and crisp on surface, about .

  3. 23

    Remove pork, stir with a spoon to expose new bits to heat, and broil again until crisp, [6 more minutes].

  4. 24

    Tent with foil to keep warm.

Tortilla Heating

  1. 25

    Preheat an 8-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot.

  2. 26

    Working one tortilla at a time, dip tortilla in bowl filled with water.

  3. 27

    Transfer to hot skillet and cook until water evaporates from first side and tortilla is browned in spots, about .

  4. 28

    Flip and cook until dry, about [15 seconds longer].

  5. 29

    Transfer to a tortilla warmer or wrap in a clean dish towel.

  6. 30

    Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Assembly

  1. 31

    Stack two tortillas on top of each other.

  2. 32

    Add [2-3 tablespoons] carnitas mixture to center.

  3. 33

    Top with salsa verde, chopped onions and cilantro, and queso fresco.

  4. 34

    Serve with lime wedges.