Pork Carnitas with Pineapple Pico de Gallo
Tender slow-cooked pork wrapped in a warm corn tortilla and topped with a sweet and spicy pineapple pico de gallo.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Other Easy Dinners You’ll Love!
BBQ Chicken with Mango Avocado Salsa
Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Jalapeño Crema
French Dip Sliders with Creamy Horseradish Sauce
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Pork Carnitas with Pineapple Pico de Gallo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pork shoulder or butt trimmed of excess fat
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil olive, canola, or vegetable
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano preferably Mexican
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 large orange juiced and halves reserved
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pineapple peeled, cored and cut into chunks
- 1 cup red onion diced
- 1 jalapeño diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 8-16 corn tortillas
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, cut the pork into large chunks. Toss the pork with the salt and pepper.
- Sear the pork in the hot oil until it is browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Add the onions to the pot and sauté until browned and softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 minute.
- Add the pork back into the pot along with any juices. Add the cumin and oregano and stir, sautéing for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Then, add in the orange halves. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with the lid. Simmer gently for 3 hours or until the pork is fall apart tender.
- While the pork is cooking, make the pineapple pico de gallo by mixing together the pineapple chunks, diced red onion, diced jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Cover and refrigerate.
- Remove the bay leaf and orange halves and transfer the pork to a foil-lined baking sheet and shred the pork. Pour about 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid over the pork.
- Place the baking sheet in the middle of the oven and broil for 5 to 7 minutes or until the pork is browned and has charred bits.
- Heat a large pan, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Cook the corn tortillas for about 15 to 20 seconds on each side, or until they become slightly browned. Serve with the pork carnitas and pineapple pico de gallo.
