Carnitas -- Mexican style Roast Pork

Carnitas -- Mexican style Roast Pork

I think carnitas are one of my favorite Mexican foods.  I've made several versions of this recipe, but I think this is my favorite.  I adjusted it from a standard recipe to  have much less cumin.  Cumin can be bladder irritating for some.  If it is bothersome, just omit it.

Carnitas -- Mexican style Roast Pork

I had about an 8 pound pork shoulder roast that I started with for this recipe.  Most roasts are only about 3-4 pounds.  For such a smaller roast, just halve the seasonings.

In a small bowl, combine

1 1/2 tablespoons Adobo seasoning 
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cumin (may be omitted)
1 tablespoon ground oregano
1 tablespoon garlic granules

Set this aside.

Cut the pork roast (mine was about 8 pounds) into 2" cubes.  (I had to pre-bake mine partially because it was frozen.)  Place the meat into a container large enough to hold it.  Pour 1/3 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup water over the meat.  Sprinkle the seasonings and stir it well to fully distribute the spices.  Cover the container and refrigerate it over night.  

When ready to cook the meat, remove it from the container and arrange it in a single layer in a roasting pan.  Cover the roaster, and bake it for about 3 hours at 300F.  The Carnitas are done when the meat is a deep reddish brown and falls apart easy when poked with a fork.  The smell will be amazing!


The meat can then be served alone as a main dish or in any sort of Mexican food like tacos, taco salad, etc.  Enjoy!