Pull pork, or Pork Carnitas, is made with citrus and spices that give the pork a lot of flavor. For a quick dinner, make pork carnitas tacos, or put it in a burrito bowl for an easy lunch.
Check out my beef barbacoa or slow cooker pulled pork for more taco ideas. They will make taco night more interesting.
You will love this Pork Carnitas recipe! It’s based on Mexican food and tastes so good you won’t believe it! Pork tenderloin is seasoned with salt and pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, orange juice, lime juice, and more. To summarize, these crispy, juicy pork shreds are sweet, a tad tangy, a little spicy, and 200% delicious. Yes, that’s double delicious.
Most of the time, when I make pork carnitas, I make tacos with the meat wrapped in soft flour tortillas. They are unbelievable – no words can describe the incredible flavors and textures. And when you pile some sour cream, sliced avocado, and diced tomatoes on top? Flavor. Explosion. Pork carnitas is also great in burrito bowls, regular burritos, salads, etc. No matter what you use, as long as you enjoy the deliciousness! If you don’t like pork, try my Instant Pot Chicken Carnitas instead!
Carnitas is basically shredded or pulled pork. Because we want it done quickly and now, the pork is cut up into small pieces. The pork is marinated or braised with spices, which makes it tender, juicy, and flavorful shreds or chunks of meat. This dish is usually made with pork shoulder or pork butt, but today we’re going to use pork tenderloin because it’s easier to prepare.
Carnitas is a popular Mexican pork dish, made by slowly braising seasoned pork in fat until tender and crispy. Traditionally, it calls for pork shoulder or butt due to the high fat content But can you use leaner pork chops to make carnitas instead?
As a home cook and carnitas lover I was curious to find out. Pork chops are quicker cooking and conveniently found at any grocery store. But with less fat, could they still produce tasty carnitas? I decided to test it out.
In this article, I’ll share my experience making carnitas with pork chops, including:
- How pork chops compare to other carnitas cuts
- Tips for choosing the right pork chops
- Step-by-step method for pork chop carnitas
- How the end result tasted compared to traditional
- Whether pork chops are a viable shortcut for carnitas
Let’s dive in and find out if this substitution is worth doing in your own kitchen!
Comparing Pork Cuts for Carnitas
To begin, it’s helpful to know how pork chops are different from the usual cuts used for carnitas.
Carnitas is usually made with pork shoulder or butt. These cuts come from the upper front leg of the pig. The meat stays tender and juicy during the slow braising process because they have a lot of fat all over them.
Pork chops come from the loin, which runs down the back of the pig. This area gets more exercise, so the meat is leaner. Pork chops have less marbling and connective tissue.
Other differences:
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Cook time: Pork shoulder/butt takes 4+ hours to break down. Pork chops cook faster, in about 1 hour.
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Flavor: Fattier cuts like shoulder have richer, deeper pork flavor. Chops are milder in taste.
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Texture: Shoulder gets fall-apart tender. Chops can dry out if overcooked.
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Cost: Shoulder is one of the cheaper cuts. Pork chops cost more.
Knowing these contrasts, I adjusted my technique to accommodate the leaner chops when making carnitas.
Choosing the Right Pork Chops
Not all pork chops are equal. To end up with tender, flavorful carnitas, look for:
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Bone-in – The bone adds moisture during cooking. Go for center-cut chops with a T-shaped bone.
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Well-marbled – Striations of fat throughout the meat keep it from drying out.
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1-inch thick – Thinner chops cook too quickly. Go for 1-inch or thicker.
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Untrimmed – Leave excess fat intact to bast the meat while cooking. Trim after if needed.
Paying attention to these pork chop characteristics helps ensure they’ll stand up to the long cooking time and develop deep flavor.
Step-By-Step: Making Carnitas with Pork Chops
With properly chosen pork chops in hand, it’s time to try making carnitas! I followed my usual carnitas seasoning and method, simply swapping in chopped up pork chops.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs bone-in, well-marbled pork chops, 1-inch thick
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 lime, juiced
- Corn tortillas, diced avocado, cilantro etc. for serving
Instructions:
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Cut pork chops into 1-inch pieces, leaving fat intact. Season all over with salt and pepper.
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Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown pork pieces on all sides, 5-7 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
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Cook onion in the drippings until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
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Return pork to the skillet. Add oregano, cumin, chili powder, and stir to coat.
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Add orange juice and simmer 20-30 minutes until pork is very tender.
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Stir in lime juice and cook 2 minutes more.
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Broil pork 5 minutes to crisp up.
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Serve carnitas in warmed tortillas with desired toppings.
The method was pretty much the same as I’d use for shoulder. The main difference was reducing the simmering time significantly since the chops cooked faster.
After broiling to crisp up the edges, it was time for the all-important taste test!
The Verdict: How Pork Chops Compared to Traditional Carnitas
Biting into the finished pork chop carnitas taco, the flavors and textures were remarkably similar to classic carnitas:
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The pork was fall-apart tender after 30 minutes of simmering. The bone and marbling kept it juicy.
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Rubbing and searing the exterior developed a nice crispiness when broiled.
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The blend of citrus juice, spices, and drippings combined for full carnitas flavor.
The only noticeable difference was the pork itself had a bit less rich, fatty taste compared to versions I’ve made with shoulder. But the other components compensated to still make it deeply flavored and enjoyable.
While my preference is still fattier pork shoulder for the best carnitas, I was impressed how tasty and tender the leaner pork chops turned out. The extra effort choosing the right cut paid off.
The Verdict: Are Pork Chops a Viable Carnitas Shortcut?
Based on my experience testing this recipe, I can confidently say that yes, you can absolutely use pork chops to make delicious carnitas at home.
The key is choosing bone-in, well-marbled chops to bring sufficient moisture and porky flavor. Adjust cooking times based on thickness. And enhance flavor with a flavorful marinade.
Compared to pork shoulder, advantages of using chops include:
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Quick cooking – Makes carnitas doable for a weeknight dinner.
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Milder taste – Appeals to those who find shoulder too rich.
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Lower fat – Healthier than shoulder’s
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Leftovers
- Leftover pork carnitas can be kept in the fridge for three to four days or frozen for two to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat.
- To warm the pork up again, place it back in the skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until warmed through. There may be a need for a little more liquid. Orange juice or cooking oil could work.
Can ground pork be used? Absolutely! Follow the recipe, and use ground pork instead of pork tenderloin.
Can lemon juice be used instead of lime juice? Yes, you can. Just remember that the taste will be a little different because lemon juice and lime juice have different tastes.
Along with salsa, cilantro, chopped onions, and guacamole, pork carnitas are served in warm tortillas. What goes well with pork carnitas? You can also serve carnitas in a burrito bowl with fiesta rice or as a topping for salads. I will sometimes serve them alongside sweet potato wedges and tomatillo salsa.
What’s the point of adding orange juice to carnitas? Adding orange juice to the chicken broth makes the pork more tender by adding acidity that softens the meat, adds flavor, and makes it more juicy.
How to Make Carnitas Tacos
You can make these carnitas pork tacos in less than 30 minutes, and everyone will love them.
- Spice up the Pork: Cut the pork tenderloin into pieces and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Set it aside.
- To cook the onion, put a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add onions to the oil and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir it in. Cook for 15 seconds, or until it smells good.
- Put the pork in the pan and season it with cumin, chili powder, and brown sugar. For about 10 minutes, or until the pork is cooked all the way through, keep stirring.
- Add orange juice and stir. Keep stirring and scraping the pan’s bottom to get rid of the browned bits. After you add the lime juice, cook for two more minutes. Remove from heat. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
- What If I Don’t Have Pork Tenderloin? That’s alright. You can use any cut of pork, not just pork shoulder (butt). Remember that if you don’t use pork tenderloin, you may need to change the cooking time depending on the cut of pork.
- This is simple, but sometimes it’s hard to do: don’t cook the pork too long. You want it plump and juicy, not tough and dry. In order to know if the pork is done, you should use a meat thermometer and make sure it reaches 145˺F.
- Different Way to Cook: Sprinkle all the spices on the pork tenderloin before cutting it into small pieces. Then cook until done. Then, use two forks or a knife to shred the pork, and put it back in the pan to cook in the orange juice as directed.
- In Tacos or Burritos: Diced tomatoes, avocado slices, corn kernels, salsa, and sour cream are great added to carnitas pork tacos. You can do almost the same thing but in the shape of a burrito.
- Rice: If you want to keep things simple, put your tasty pork shreds on top of a bowl of white or brown rice. Quinoa will work, too.
- If you want to keep things simple, you can add the pork carnitas to a simple cobb salad. You can also make a bed of lettuce, dice up some extra vegetables, and add the pork. That’s it! You’re ready for lunch or dinner.
- If you like pulled pork, you’ll love this quesadilla. The cheesy shredded pork is so, so good.
The Easiest and Most Delicious CARNITAS & TOMATILLO SALSA You Can Make at Home!
FAQ
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