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Crispy Mexican Pulled Pork
The secret to this authentic-tasting pulled pork is a two-step cooking method. First, you'll simmer the meat in a bright citrus broth infused with oregano and cumin until it completely falls apart. Then, a quick trip under the broiler creates those irresistible, caramelized edges for the ultimate texture contrast. It's a foolproof approach that guarantees juicy, flavor-packed meat that's ready to be tucked into warm corn tortillas.
Equipment
- Oven
- Dutch oven
- Stovetop
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 (3½- to 4-pound) boneless pork butt roast, fat trimmed to ⅛ inch, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 cups water
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper
- 1 orange, halved
- 18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
- 1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine pork, water, onion, lime juice, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in Dutch oven (liquid should just barely cover meat). Juice orange into bowl and remove any seeds (you should have about ⅓ cup juice). Add juice and spent orange halves to pot.
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a Dutch oven, combine the pork, water, onion, lime juice, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, salt, pepper, orange juice, and the spent orange halves. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- 2Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook for about 2 hours, flipping the pork pieces once, until the meat is very soft and easily falls apart when tested with a fork.
- 3Remove the pot from the oven and preheat your broiler. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to a large bowl. Discard the onion, orange halves, and bay leaves from the cooking liquid, but don't skim off the fat. The fat helps crisp the meat later.
- 4Place the pot over high heat. Simmer the liquid for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until it reduces to about 1 cup. It should be thick and syrupy enough that a spatula leaves a wide trail when dragged through it.
- 5Using two forks, pull each piece of pork in half. Fold the reduced cooking liquid into the meat, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 6Spread the pork in an even layer on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Place the baking sheet on the lower-middle oven rack. Broil for 5 to 8 minutes until the top of the meat browns and the edges turn slightly crispy.
- 7Flip the meat pieces with a wide metal spatula. Broil for another 5 to 8 minutes to brown the other side. Serve the hot pulled pork with warm corn tortillas.
Notes
- Storage: Keep leftover pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat: Warm the pork in a skillet over medium heat to restore the crispy edges before serving.
- Prep: You can braise the pork a day ahead. Store the meat and reduced liquid separately in the fridge, then combine and broil just before serving.