Smoked Pork Carnitas (with Pork Butt)
These smoked pork carnitas are crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. If you’re looking for an awesome smoked carnitas recipe that combines the smoker or grill with all of the flavors of Mexican pork, this is it!
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
- 5½-6 lb pork butt
- 2 large navel oranges quartered with skins
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 medium yellow onion quartered with skins removed
- 1 whole head garlic with cloves peeled and rough chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 32 oz lard
- 1½ cup Mexican Coca Cola *Or substitute regular Coke.
- 1-2 tablespoons cooking oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Set smoker to 250 degrees F.
- Cut pork butt into large chunks that are about 3" square or the size of your fist. *For my 5¾ pound pork butt, I cut it into about 16-18 pieces. Sprinkle all sides of the cut pieces of pork with salt and pepper.
- Heat griddle to about 450 degrees F, or if using a skillet, heat the skillet on medium to medium high heat. Add about 1-2 tablespoons of oil to the griddle or skillet. Sear the pork butt pieces on top and bottom sides for about 5-7 minutes per side, or until a nice crust develops.
- Transfer pork to smoker. Smoke pieces of pork for 1 hour at 250 degrees F.
- In a large roasting pan make the braising liquid - To the pan, add the lard in its solid state, quartered oranges (squeeze juice in pan and add skins), quartered onions, bay leaves, garlic, and jalapeños. Place the roasting pan on the smoker. (Leave the pork pieces on the smoker.). Smoke the braising liquid for 1 hour, while the pork pieces smoke for their 2nd hour. Total smoking time with the roasting pan liquid and the pork separate = 2 hours for pork pieces and 1 hour for braising liquid.
- After one hour, transfer the smoked pork pieces to the roasting pan with the lard and oranges, making sure that each piece of pork is settled down in the braising liquid. Raise the smoker temp to 300-325 degrees F. Braise for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Pour the Mexican Coca Cola into the roasting pan with the pork. Continue to smoke for about 30-45 minutes at 300-325 degrees F, or until pork is tender.
- Carefully remove the roasting pan from the smoker. Allow the pork carnitas to cool for about 15 minutes. Then, use a wire skimmer to remove the pork pieces from the liquid. Shred and serve.