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Zesty Lime Pork Carnitas

Zesty Lime Pork Carnitas

Tender, slow-cooked pork infused with zesty lime, warming spices and a hint of heat, finished with fresh herbs for a vibrant, flavour-packed Mexican-style dish.

15 minutesPrep Time
4 hoursCooking Time
10Servings
Shop Ingredients
Makes 10 servings
3kg pork shoulder, pork belly, leg or loin (bone removed), cut into large chunks
100ml of Vegetable Oil
300ml Chicken Stock
1 Onion, diced
10g Ground Cumin
150ml Picante
2 Limes, halved (or 1–2 lemons, juiced, plus zest if using lemons)
1 Bunch of Fresh Coriander, chopped
10 Tortillas, to serve
Shredded Cheese, to serve
Sour Cream, to serve
Guacamole, to serve
Tomato Salsa, to serve
Salt, to season
Cracked Black Pepper, to season

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 160°C (fan-forced 140°C). Heat the vegetable oil in a large oven-safe dish over medium-high heat.
  2. Season the pork with salt and pepper. If using pork belly, ensure the pieces are cut into even chunks. Sear the pork in batches until browned on all sides.
  3. Add the onion, ground cumin, chicken stock and picante sauce. Squeeze in the juice from the limes (or lemons if using) and add the lime halves. If using lemons, add a little zest for extra citrus flavour. The liquid should come about one-third to halfway up the pork.
  4. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 4 hours, or until the pork is very tender and pulls apart easily. Pork belly will render down and add extra richness to the sauce.
  5. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15–20 minutes. Shred the pork using two forks and mix through the cooking juices. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and extra lime if needed.
  6. If making guacamole, scoop the flesh from 2 ripe avocados into a bowl. Add a squeeze of lime or lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and mash until smooth or slightly chunky. Add finely diced onion or tomato if desired.
  7. For extra texture, optionally crisp the shredded pork in a hot pan or under a grill for a few minutes until the edges are golden.
  8. Warm the tortillas in a pan or microwave. Serve the pork with tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, tomato salsa and fresh coriander.