Ninja Foodi Recipe: Crispy Pork Carnitas (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep carnitas from drying out? ›

Oven temps for perfect carnitas

For our carnitas, we want the temperature of the confit cooking fat to be about 200°F (93°C) or a little higher. At this temperature, we won't be drying out the surface of the meat cubes while we heat their centers.

Set the time for 20 minutes. You are going to air fry until the pork roast reaches between 130-135℉/55-57℃. Check an internal temperature every 5-10 minutes. When checking the temperature, make sure the meat thermometer is in the thickest part, which will be the coldest part of the meat (which will be the center).

Carnitas — which means "little meats" in Spanish — is a Mexican pork dish. An inexpensive, heavily marbled cut of pork, such as boneless Boston butt, pork shoulder or picnic ham, is braised or simmered for several hours with seasonings and lard until it is so tender that is can be shredded.

Smothering it with barbecue sauce would probably help, but my favourite thing to do with leftover or less than successful carnitas is a pasta sauce. I just add the meat to a good tomato sauce with appropriate seasoning and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Adding the oranges is very much like braising pork Cuban-style for the traditional cubano sandwich. The milk acts as a tenderizer, a secret I learned while growing up watching dad make his carnitas which, by the way, were always exceptionally tender.

Using oil

Using oil in an air fryer is perfectly fine and helps the meat to remain moist and come out looking golden brown. However, a little oil in an air fryer does go a long way. With most cuts of pork, simply rubbing some oil into the meat will be all you need. You can use either regular olive oil or a spray oil.

Pulled pork and carnitas are both made by slow cooking pork shoulder (or similar cut of meat). The difference is carnitas are cooked with Mexican spices and is finished in the oven or on the stovetop to give it little crispy bits that add to the texture and flavor.

Carnitas is associated with festive occasions, and it's usually consumed during weekends, particularly on Sundays, the traditional “mercado”, or marketplace, day in Mexico. Carnitas vendors are a common, some would even say indispensable, sight at any tianguis (another word for marketplace!) in all states.

Black pepper, cumin, sweet paprika but you can use hot or smoked if you desire, onion and garlic powder, oregano, marjoram, bay, thyme and in my case a bit of ancho chili powder.

I've made carnitas many times using a completely different method and it turned out pretty good. But it is important to note that the traditional way to make carnitas is by slow cooking it in lard. I think it also gives it a more authentic taste. Seasoning- Salt, Mexican oregano, cumin, & black pepper.

What sauce goes well with carnitas? ›

Pork Carnitas with Cilantro Tomatillo Sauce.

Try brine: Choose a wet marinade rather than a dry one. Dry rubs may work fine but brine or a wet rub will add that extra moisture along with the flavor that will penetrate deep inside the meat. Keep a spray bottle handy: Keep spraying the meat during smoking or reheating to replace the lost moisture.

While pressure cooking can yield tender and juicy meat, it's important to follow the recommended cooking times for your particular cut of pork. Overcooking can cause the meat to become dry, tough, and difficult to shred. Similarly, if you don't cook the pork long enough, it may be undercooked and tough.