Main meals
Meats
Mexican & Latin American
Gluten-free friendly
Low carbohydrate
High protein
Balanced
Carnitas (Slow-Cooked Mexican Pulled Pork)

12

15 mins

Tender, juicy pork slow-cooked with smoky spices, onion and citrus until it falls apart, then shredded and crisped under the grill for those classic golden edges. Make a big batch for tacos, burrito bowls or salads, and freeze the rest for easy meals later. Lean pork leg provides plenty of protein, and the bold spices give lots of flavour.

Ingredients
  • 2kg boneless lean pork leg joint, fat trimmed
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp chilli powder
  • 2 tsp dried Italian herbs (or dried oregano)
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 250ml reduced-salt chicken stock

Serving options:

  • Tacos: Serve each portion in 1 small (around 40g) warm wholemeal tortilla with a black bean salsa. For 4 portions, make the salsa with 1 x 400g tin black beans (drained and rinsed), 200g defrosted frozen sweetcorn, 200g diced tomatoes, 1 small diced red onion, chopped coriander and the juice of 1 lime.
  • Burrito bowl: Serve each portion over 125g cooked brown rice with the black bean salsa, shredded lettuce and a spoonful of 0% fat Greek yoghurt.

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Needed kitchenware

Slow cooker

Instructions

1.

Mix the salt and all the spices and herbs. Rub the pork with the oil, then the spice mix.

2.

Put the onion in the slow cooker and sit the pork on top. Pour over the orange juice, lime juice and stock.

3.

Cover and cook until the pork is very tender and falls apart easily (8 hours on low or 5 hours on high).

4.

Lift the pork onto a board and shred it with 2 forks. Skim any fat from the cooking liquid, then stir enough liquid into the pork to keep it juicy.

5.

For crispy edges, spread the pork on a baking tray and put under a hot grill until golden in places (4–5 minutes).

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Storage information

Leave to cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat until piping hot all the way through. Freeze in portions with a little of the cooking liquid for up to 3 months; defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot.

Tip

Oven method: Cook in a covered casserole at 150c (130c fan) for 4–5 hours.

Cost-saving tips

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Budget-friendly
Beginner
Low effort
Freezer-friendly
Family-friendly
Batch-cook friendly

Abbi

Head Chef

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