Keto carnitas are naturally low carb and paleo friendly. This slow roasted pork is seasoned with orange, lime, and spices, then broiled to crispy perfection. It’s absolutely luscious!
Pair it with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice for a fantastic keto meal!
I’m a carnitas fanatic, and you will be too after you take one bite of this Mexican-style pulled pork. If I could give you a money back guarantee on that statement, I would. It’s just that good.
I’ve been working behind the scenes here at All Day I Dream About Food to perfect my own carnitas recipe and I have to say, it’s pretty close to perfect.
How do I describe these keto carnitas for the uninitiated? It’s like a study in contrasts: slow braised, shredded pork that is somehow both juicy and crisp at the same time. They are mouthwateringly delicious and easy to make.
They may just be the perfect keto food. You need to add pork carnitas to your list of easy keto meals. Welcome to your new addiction, my friends!
Why we love keto pork carnitas
There’s so much to love about carnitas, I hardly know where to start.
- Easy preparation: this recipe requires only about 15 minutes prep time.
- Basic ingredients: you should be able to find all you need at your local grocery store.
- Perfectly seasoned: the flavors are balanced and not too spicy. But you can increase the spice if you like!
- Tender and juicy: slow braising the carnitas results in melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Crispy and caramelized: broiling helps caramelize the meat and add crispness.
- Freezer friendly: it’s a perfect make-ahead dish for meal preppers!
How to make Keto Carnitas
I did a lot of research into cooking carnitas before venturing out on my own. These are my best tips for a truly fantastic experience.
- Cooking with lard – Authentic carnitas are slow cooked in lard, but good pasture-raised lard can be expensive. I recommend using about ¼ cup of lard and looking for a pork roast with a good fat cap on it, for extra juiciness.
- Best cuts of meat – Pork shoulder, also known as pork butt, is the ideal cut of meat for carnitas. You can use bone in or bone out, it doesn’t matter. Once the pork shoulder is cooked, the bone just falls right out.
- Cook it whole – Don’t bother cutting the meat into chunks, as it adds unnecessary work and time to your recipe. Braising the roast at low heat with plenty of liquids results in such succulent tenderness, it practically falls apart when you touch it.
- Brown the meat first – Season with salt and pepper and brown on all sides before braising.
- Dump in the seasonings – There is also no need to rub the roast with seasonings, since it all falls off during the braising process. I find it simpler to just add it all in on top. The meat will absorb the flavors as it cooks.
- Broiling required – Don’t skip this step! Broiling the shredded pork helps crisp it up and give the carnitas their unique texture and flavor.
- Reserve the liquids – Don’t discard the wonderful juices after cooking. Bring them to a boil and reduce them, and then add the carnitas back in. It adds flavor and juiciness.
Can you make keto carnitas in the Instant Pot?
Yes, you absolutely can. While I prefer braising them slowly in the oven, I’ve used my Instant Pot when short on time.
Don’t skip the step of browning the meat first, as it brings out better flavor. You also need to cut back on the liquids, since a pressure cooker releases a lot of liquid from the meat itself. I recommend using only ½ cup of water.
Set the Instant Pot for about 90 minutes on the meat/stew function and let the pressure release naturally.
How to serve keto carnitas?
Carnitas are delicious in any number of ways. Personally, I enjoy them most in a bowl with cauliflower rice and toppings like guacamole. You can also serve them as a salad or in lettuce wraps.
If you want to make tacos with them, I have a few suggestions! Try the cauliflower thins from Outer Aisle, or use some of the KBosh crusts as a wrap. You could even use the crusts to make a tasty Keto Quesadilla!
More delicious keto pork recipes
- Instant Pot Keto Pulled Pork
- Easy Air Fryer Pork Chops
- The Best Keto Ribs
- Smothered Pork Chops
- Keto Cheesy Sausage Dip
- Slow Cooker Pork Loin
Easy Keto Carnitas
Ingredients
- 4 lb boneless pork butt
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup pure lard or bacon grease
- 1 cup water
- ½ medium orange cut into quarters
- 1 medium lime cut into quarters
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300F. Season the pork butt all over with salt and pepper.
- In a large dutch oven, melt the lard over medium heat. Once hot, add the pork roast and brown well on all sides.
- Add the water to the bottom of the pan. Hand squeeze the juice of the orange sections and lime sections into the pan and add the rind as well. Add the cumin, oregano, chipotle, and garlic. Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer the pot to the oven.
- Let cook 5 hours, until the pork is tender and can easily be pierced with a fork. Remove from the liquids onto a foil lined cookie sheet and let stand until cool enough to shred.
- Spread the pork out over the cookie sheet and set under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to get the pork pieces nice and crisp. Watch carefully!
- Meanwhile, remove the orange and lime rinds from the liquids in the pot and discard. Set over medium high heat and bring a boil. Cook until the liquids are reduced by half.
- Add the crispy pork back into the liquids and toss to combine. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
- Serve over cauliflower rice and top with your favourite fixings like cheese, guacamole, and cilantro.
Cody A. Hutcheson says
Do you think I could use boneless pork chops in lieu of pork butt?
They were on sale! Lol
Carolyn says
I haven’t tried it myself – it should work if you have several pounds of it.
Natalie says
Love everything about this recipe!! It’s definitely a great, healthier option. It tastes amazing & I’m excited to try it with many other recipes!
Kara says
I used bacon grease and it added great flavor! My family used the meat in tacos, I just put it over my salad. Delish!!
Beth says
This low carb carnitas is fantastic and full of so much flavor! This was perfect for our dinner the other day. Such an easy and better recipe for you too! Definitely making this recipe again!
Anna says
If you are on a low-carb diet, you NEED to try this dish! Carnitas are our favorite and this version is the best we’ve had! Tasty, easy to make!
courtney says
My husband LOVED these, thank you for the recipe!
Linda says
So glad you sent this out as your daily recipe and so glad I’m a subscriber. I always order carnitas at Mexican restaurants and now I’m not sure I’ll ever have it away from home again. Made it today and it was fantastic! So easy and SO delicious. It may become a regular dinner here now.
Carolyn says
Hooray, so glad to hear it! And easy too, right?
Ben says
I followed this recipe exactly.
After I pulled the pork out of the broiler, it was PERFECT. About the best carnitas I’ve ever had. Then I put them back into he Dutch oven with the sauce and the sauce completely ruined the meat. I think the chipotle had too much flavor. I tried everything to mask the flavor and I was unsuccessful. We couldn’t handle the after taste and we tossed it out.
I’m looking forward to trying this one more time. The Dutch oven is awesome.
Carolyn says
It might not be the chipotle… if your orange peel is really bitter (some are) that can affect the sauce too.
Niki says
Hi, once I sear the meat in an iron skillet, Can I transfer it into a slow cooker? How long will that have to cook for ? Asking coz I don’t have a Dutch oven and would like to put my slow cooker to good use!
Carolyn says
Hi Niki…you totally can and it should be slow cooked on low for 6 to 8 hours. If you can stick a fork easily into it and start shredding it, you’re good to go. But don’t skip the searing step, it really gives it the best flavor.
Gretchen says
I made this tonight with a 5lb bone in pork shoulder. Cooked it 6 hours on high. Cooked perfectly! However we could taste the bitterness from the orange and lime rinds. Next time I will just use the juice.
Korene says
Could this be made with a bone in shoulder? Or would that change the cook time?
I usually make mine in a pressure cooker all chopped up, but you make this look & sound so good, I want to try your method!
Thanks
Carolyn says
It can but you will need to give it more time. At least 5 minutes, I would say. Then check the internal temp and cook longer if needed.
Erin says
These are so tender and good. Carnitas are always a favorite when I make them!
Jennifer Blake says
Low and slow is always a winner… and fat = flavor… we all need a little of this in our lives!
gerry speirs says
Looks like perfection!!
Jennifer Farley says
This is tomorrow’s dinner for sure!
Amber Weber says
Yum! About to make this for the second time for my friend (who just had a baby) and her family. <3
joanna schupp says
I made this yesterday and followed the directions to a T. Sadly, 5 hours was too long and my dutch oven was black when I opened it. The pork was okay but the surrounding ingredients were completely charred to the pot. So if you value your cookware, check after 3-4 hours!!
Carolyn says
I think it has more to do with the seal of your cookware lid. If it isn’t closed well and the liquid evaporates, yes that’s going to happen. But I’ve never had that complaint from any other reader so I suspect it’s your cookware or your oven.
joanna schupp says
The liquid did evaporate!! Thanks for the tip. I didn’t realize it was my cookware. This is one of those big red dutch ovens from Kohl’s. Not sure how good the quality is to be honest. I want to make this recipe again so my plan was to add more water this time but I might just need to cover my pot with foil instead.
Kevin Hangman says
Put a piece of aluminum foil over the pot, then put the lid on. Makes a better seal…