Quick Pork Carnitas Tacos

4.70 from 40 votes

Juicy pork is seasoned with citrus and spices to create ultra-flavorful Mexican inspired Pork Carnitas!

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: pork carnitas tacos

Servings: people

Prep the pork. Cut up the pork tenderloin into small bite-sized pieces and season it with salt and pepper; set aside.
Sauté the aromatics. Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions to the heated oil and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds or just until fragrant.
Cook the pork. Add the diced pork to the skillet; season with brown sugar, oregano, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the pork is cooked through.
Add the orange juice and lime juice. Stir in the orange juice, then continue stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the lime juice and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
Finish and serve. Remove from heat. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly. Serve the pork in tacos, burritos, over rice, and/or on salads.

Pork Choice: You don't have to use pork tenderloin. You can also use pork shoulder or any other boneless cut of pork, but remember that, depending on the cut, you may need to adjust the cooking time.
Don't Overcook: You want the pork to be juicy and tender, not tough and dry. The best way to gauge if pork is done is to use a meat thermometer – Pork is cooked through when its internal temperature reaches 145°F.
Shredded Pork Method: Season the pork tenderloin thoroughly with all the spices before slicing it into pieces. Once cooked thoroughly, shred the pork using two forks or chop it finely with a knife. Afterward, return the pork to the skillet and let it simmer in the orange juice as instructed.