Air Fryer Carnitas—Perfect for Tacos!
Air Fryer Carnitas are the solution to the ongoing dilemma of what to prepare for dinner during a hectic weeknight. The pork emerges succulent and tasty with appealingly crispy edges.
This article may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from eligible purchases. See my Affiliate Disclosure.
An air fryer is the ideal device to accomplish impeccably cooked carnitas in a mere fraction of the time it would require in an oven or stovetop. This carnitas recipe is quick to prepare in terms of active prep duration and cooking, although letting the pork marinate for a significant amount of time is recommended.
What Are Pork Carnitas?
Carnitas, translating to “little meats” in Spanish, is a Mexican meal generally prepared with pork that is braised or roasted until tender and then shredded. It is frequently fried afterward to enhance the edges’ crispness and caramelize the meat.
Crispy carnitas ideal taco filling (or burrito stuffing or nacho topping!)
This Air Fryer Pork Carnitas recipe is excellent for tacos or burritos, taquitos, or as a garnish for rice bowls, salads, or nachos. For me, nothing surpasses a scoop of delightful pork carnitas wrapped in a warm tortilla and topped with Mexican Pickled Onions in lime juice alongside a drizzle of Salsa Verde.
Ingredients You Need to Prepare Air Fryer Pork Carnitas
The components required to create crispy carnitas in the air fryer are rather straightforward. Here’s what you’ll need for this straightforward air fryer carnitas recipe:
- Pork: I prefer boneless pork shoulder or butt. This fatty cut is flavorful, making it perfect for carnitas.
- Orange juice: Orange juice contributes acidity to the marinade, aiding in tenderizing the meat and imparting a complex flavor.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro introduces a bright, herby essence to the carnitas.
- Oil: Feel free to select any oil you enjoy cooking with. Olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil, or avocado oil are all suitable options.
- Jalapeno pepper: The jalapeño infuses a bit of heat into the carnitas, but you can exclude it if you prefer milder flavors.
- Taco seasoning: Taco seasoning is a mixture of spices that adds significant flavor to the carnitas. You can use store-bought taco seasoning or create your own by blending chili powder, cumin, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Salt: Always opt for salt without additives, such as kosher salt or sea salt for cooking.
- Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper contributes a bit of a kick.
- Corn tortillas: Corn tortillas are the conventional choice for carnitas tacos, but flour tortillas can be used if preferred, or the carnitas can be utilized as a topping for salads, nachos, or rice bowls.
- Onion: Chopped purple onion introduces a lovely burst of color, crunch, and flavor to the carnitas tacos. I like to incorporate Pickled Onions in lime juice!
How to Prepare It
This Air Fryer Carnitas recipe is easy to follow. The active and cooking time is brief. It is ideal to let the pork marinate for an adequate amount of time. Here’s how to craft air fryer shredded pork carnitas:
- Combine the pork with some taco seasoning, then drizzle with the oil, orange juice, jalapeño, and cilantro.
- Allow it to marinate for 6 hours (or overnight).
- Fashion a foil catch tray for the air fryer basket and place the pork, along with the marinade, inside the tray.
- Air fry until the meat is exceptionally tender. Flip the pork once during the cooking process to ensure both sides brown and crisp up nicely. If the meat doesn’t easily separate when tested with a fork, provide it an additional 15 minutes in the air fryer.
- Remove the pork and shred the meat. Incorporate the remaining taco seasoning and mix thoroughly.
- Heat the tortillas and fill them with the pork, onion, and cilantro.
- Savor!
Suggestions and Advice
- When preparing carnitas, it’s important to have some fat within the meat. That’s what ensures it remains juicy, flavorful, and crisp along the edges. Pork shoulder or butt is undoubtedly the best cut for this dish. If you desire a leaner option, you could use pork loin, but the meat will lack the same richness and flavor. You could also consider pork belly for a very indulgent, fatty variation.
- Short on time to marinate the pork for hours? No worries! You can still achieve delectable and tasty pork by allowing it to marinate for at least an hour before cooking.
- Shredding the pork while it’s still warm is easiest, so do this soon after you take it out of the air fryer.
- If you’d like to crisp the pork further, transfer it to a large skillet (heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in the skillet first) and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
- Personalize your carnitas with your favorite toppings like avocado, salsa, or sour cream.
- Carnitas can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.
- Your Air Fryer Carnitas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for as much as 3 months.
- Reheat leftover carnitas in the air fryer to restore the crispiness of the edges.
Serving Suggestions
There are numerous ways to savor these pulled pork carnitas! Here are several suggestions:
- Tacos: Present the carnitas in heated corn or flour tortillas topped with your preferred garnishes like chopped onions, cilantro, salsa, and sour cream.
- Burritos: Encase the carnitas within a sizable flour tortilla alongside beans, rice, salsa, and cheese.
- Salad: Adorn a mound of greens with the carnitas, chopped avocado, cherry tomatoes, and a splash of vinaigrette.
- Nachos: Stack tortilla chips, carnitas, beans, cheese, and your preferred toppings on a baking sheet and broil for a few moments until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Consider pairing them with Homemade Corn Tortillas, Homemade Flour Tortillas, Mexican Pickled Onions, Pickled Jalapenos, Instant Pot Refried Beans, Instant Pot Mexican Black Beans, Mango Habanero Salsa, or Salsa Verde. Mexican Street Corn Salad, Elote, or Air Fryer Elote make excellent accompaniments.
Preparing carnitas in an air fryer is a swift and simple method to relish this delightful Mexican delicacy. With its crunchy exterior and tender inside, this recipe is bound to become a new household favorite. So why delay? Take out your air fryer and give these carnitas a whirl!
Searching for additional methods to prepare pork? This pork chop casserole with hash browns is always a hit.
Air Fryer Carnitas
Robin Donovan
This appetizing Mexican dish composed of pork marinated in spices is quick and straightforward to make. The outcome is crunchy pork that is ideal for shredding and utilizing as a filling for tacos, taquitos, or burritos or as a topping for salads, nachos, or rice bowls.
(keep your screen awake)
-
In a bowl combine the pork and the seasonings (2 tablespoons taco seasoning). Add the oil, juice from the orange, jalapeño, and cilantro on top. Stir and place the pork along with the mixture into a storage bag. Refrigerate overnight or for 6 hours.
-
Prepare a foil catch tray for the air fryer basket and include the pork shoulder. Drizzle the remaining marinade on top and cook at 350°F for 45 minutes. Flip the pork at the 30-minute mark.
-
Take out the pork and shred the meat. Mix in the leftover taco seasoning.
-
Chop the onion. Heat the tortillas and fill with the pork, onion, and cilantro.
-
Savor!
1. You can prepare the carnitas in advance and keep them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for as long as 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Carnitas can also be frozen. Keep in a sealed container or freezer-friendly resealable plastic bag for up to 3 months.
Calories: 441kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.02gSodium: 410mgPotassium: 93mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 118IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg
Post Comment