Crunchy-Edge Pork Carnitas
Slow-roasted pork shoulder is infused with orange, garlic, olive oil, bay leaves, and warm spices including cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, and Chinese five-spice. The result is tender pork with crisp edges and a rich, aromatic flavor, making these carnitas a satisfying choice for tacos, gatherings, or a relaxed family meal.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook3 hrs 40 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Crunchy-Edge Pork Carnitas, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 48 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 10 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 47 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 31
- Heart Health
- 65
- Metabolic
- 15
- Digestive
- 21
- Inflammatory
- 44
- Performance
- 29
- General Wellness
- 1
Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
- 2
Remove fat from pork; cut meat into 2-inch cubes and roughly chop fat.
- 3
Mix together pork meat and fat with garlic, olive oil, orange peel, orange juice, salt, bay leaves, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and 5-spice powder in a large bowl until pork is completely coated.
- 4
Transfer mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover the dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil, then place on a baking sheet.
- 5
Bake in the preheated oven until pork is fork tender, about 3 1/2 hours.
- 6
Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Remove garlic, orange peel, and bay leaves from the baking dish. Transfer pork to a colander set in a bowl. Pour accumulated juices from the baking dish over pork. Return pork to the baking dish and drizzle with some accumulated juices.
- 7
Cook under the preheated broiler for 3 minutes. Drizzle more accumulated juices over pork and continue broiling until crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer pork to a serving plate and drizzle with remaining accumulated juices.
- 8
Enjoy!
- Calories 624.65 kcal High 31%
- Protein 43.02 g Good Source 86%
- Carbohydrate 5.32 g 2%
- Total Fat 47.29 g High 61%
- Saturated Fat 13.44 g High 67%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 131.53 mg High 44%
- Sodium 181.3 mg Moderate 8%
- Dietary Fiber 0.97 g Low Source 3%
- Total Sugars 2.29 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 28.37 mg Low Source 2%
- Iron 2.73 mg Moderate 15%
- Potassium 72.71 mg Low Source 2%
- Vitamin A 5.26 mcg Low Source 1%
- Vitamin C 13.39 mg Moderate 15%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Garlic 🧄
About This Recipe
Crunchy Edge Pork Carnitas is made with 11 ingredients and serves 6. It takes about 3 hrs 55 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Bone In Pork Shoulder Butt Roast, Dried Bay Leaves, and Five Spice. Each serving provides about 624.65 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Crunchy-Edge Pork Carnitas made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Bone-In Pork Shoulder Butt Roast, Dried Bay Leaves, Five-Spice, Garlic. The full list of 11 is above.
- How long does it take to make Crunchy-Edge Pork Carnitas?
- About 3 hrs 55 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 3 hrs 40 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 624.65 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Crunchy-Edge Pork Carnitas easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 11 ingredients and 8 steps.
- Is Crunchy-Edge Pork Carnitas healthy?
- Crunchy-Edge Pork Carnitas has an easyChef Pro health score of 38/100. Per serving, it provides 624.65 calories and 43.02 g of protein, or 86% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 181.3 mg (8% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 13.44 g (67% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus and Garlic, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
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