Tender slow-cooked pork wrapped in a warm corn tortilla and topped with a sweet and spicy pineapple pico de gallo.

Tray of pork carnitas topped with pineapple pico de gallo next to a bowl with more pico.

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

Flavorful slow-cooked pork shoulder becomes fall-apart tender
Chunky pineapple pico de gallo made with fresh pineapple and jalapeño adds sweet and spicy flavors to balance out the savory pork
The pico can be made in advance and the pork can cook all day in a slow cooker which means dinner is practically made when you get home

Step By Step Instructions

Note: Full list of ingredients, their amounts, and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1:

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or a large pan with a lid.

Meanwhile, toss the pork in salt and pepper. Then, sear in the hot oil until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Pork shoulder pieces browning in a Dutch oven.

Step 2:

Sauté the onion and garlic until browned. Then, add the pork back into the onions and add the cumin and oregano. Stir and sauté for 30 seconds just to bloom the herbs and spices.

Seared pork added to the pot with the sautéed onions and cumin added on top.

Step 3:

If you’re cooking the carnitas on the stovetop, add the pork back into the pan with the onions and garlic. If you’re cooking it in a slow cooker, transfer the pork, onions, and garlic to the slow cooker.

Add the chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, and bay leaf to the pot and stir it all together. Add the orange halves to the pot.

Dutch oven with pork in cooking liquid with a bay leaf and orange halves simmering.

Step 4:

If you’re cooking it on the stove, bring the pot to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 3 hours.

In a slow cooker, cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

Step 5:

To make the pineapple pico de gallo, mix together the fresh pineapple, red onion, diced jalapeño, fresh lime juice, cilantro, and salt.

If you make this in advance, keep it in a covered dish in the fridge until you’re ready for it.

Pineapple pico de gallo in a glass bowl.

Step 6:

Shred the pork apart and place it on a foil-lined baking sheet with about 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Broil for 5 to 7 minutes or until the tops are browned and crispy and there are some charred bits.

Step 7:

Cook the corn tortillas on the stove in a hot pan until they brown and become fragrant. Wrap the pork in the warm tortilla and top with the pineapple pico de gallo.

Sprinkle on some chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges. I also like to serve these with some hot sauce. Avocado slices would be good too!

Four pork carnita tacos topped with pineapple pico de gallo on a platter with a bowl of pico in the background.

Equipment You May Need

I like to make this in my Dutch oven on the stove but a slow cooker works really well if you need it to cook all day.

Tips & Tricks

I like to trim a lot of the fat off of the pork before cooking so that I don’t have to pick it out later, but you want to leave some of it on since it will result in a tastier final product.

Storage & Reheating

Leftovers can be kept in airtight containers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

To reheat the pork, you can place microwave it on a microwave-safe plate covered with a damp paper towel or in a pan over medium-low heat on the stove with a splash of water or chicken broth to help keep it from drying out.