Slow-Cooked Pork Carnitas with Fresh Pineapple Salsa
Tender, crispy-edged pork carnitas slow-cooked to perfection with aromatic spices, served alongside a bright and refreshing spring pineapple salsa. This crowd-pleasing Mexican classic is perfect for tacos, burritos, or served over rice.
Ingredients
- 1.5kg boneless pork shoulder, cut into 5cm chunks
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large orange, juiced
- 2 limes, juiced and divided
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium white onion, quartered
- 2 bay leaves
- 240ml chicken stock
- 2 cups fresh pineapple, diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Warm corn tortillas, for serving
Instructions
Combine cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture generously over all the pork chunks.
Place the seasoned pork in a slow cooker. Add the quartered white onion, minced garlic, bay leaves, orange juice, juice of 1 lime, and chicken stock.
Cover and cook on low for 5 hours until the pork is fork-tender and reaches an internal temperature of at least 71°C (160°F).
While the pork cooks, prepare the pineapple salsa by combining diced pineapple, jalapeño, red onion, coriander, remaining lime juice, and olive oil in a bowl. Season with a pinch of salt, toss well, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Once cooked, remove the pork from the slow cooker and discard the bay leaves and onion quarters. Shred the meat using two forks.
For crispy edges, spread the shredded pork on a baking tray and spoon over 3-4 tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Broil under a high grill for 4-5 minutes until the edges are golden and crispy.
Serve the carnitas warm in corn tortillas topped with fresh pineapple salsa and additional coriander if desired.
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