Beer-Braised Pork Carnitas (+ Slow Cooker and Instant Pot)

Name: Beer-Braised Pork Carnitas (+ Slow Cooker and Instant Pot)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 15 min
Cuisine: Mexican, Latin American, American
Ingredients: 3-4 pounds boneless pork shoulder; 1-2 tablespoons olive oil; 8–10 cloves garlic, sliced in half lengthwise; 2 large yellow onions, sliced into sixths or eighths; 2 large, juicy navel oranges, zested and juiced (½ cup juice); 3 large, juicy limes, zested and juiced (¼ cup juice); 1 heaping tablespoon ground cumin; 1 heaping tablespoon dried oregano; 2 dried bay leaves; 12 ounces light beer of choice (see Recipe Notes, below); kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season

Instructions

Prep:15minCook:4h

Beer-Braised Carnitas are a game changer for your taco night. This recipe takes tender pork shoulder studs it with garlic and braises it in a delicious blend of onions, warm spices, citrus, and – of course – beer, for a flavor-packed shredded pork filling that's fall-apart tender. Finish it under the broiler for a crispy, crave-worthy edge. Perfect for pork carnitas tacos, burritos, nachos, or whatever your heart (and stomach) desires! As written, this is a stovetop Dutch oven recipe, but it's easily adapted for an oven braise, a slow cooker/Crockpot, or an Instant Pot/electric pressure cooker. Refer to the Recipe Notes, below for full cooking directions for these alternate cooking methods.

Updated at: Sat, 08 Nov 2025 00:12:53 GMT