# Smoked Pork Carnitas with photos



## smokenado

My wife wanted to have a Mexican menu for my 40th birthday party so naturally I found a way to smoke something. I looked for a recipe on how to smoke pork Carnitas and found a great one I wanted to share and highly suggest. If you haven't had Carnitas they are a Mexican of pulled pork using lard and crisping the pork prior to serving. 

Spice Rub: 
3 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
1 Tablespoon Ground Coriander
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon White Pepper
1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

For The Mop and Sauce:
1 12 oz bottle of dark Mexican beer like Negra Modelo
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons of the Rub

1. Pierce the roast all over to let the marinade work its way in. Place roast in a foil pan with the orange juice and garlic cloves to soak overnight, turning once or twice so the roast marinates evenly.
2. Discard OJ and garlic and rinse the roast off and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Make the rub by mixing together all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside 2 tablespoons for the mop sauce. Pat the rub all over the roast and let sit to cure for a few hours if you have the time.
4. Make the mop sauce – mix all ingredients together and set aside about 3/4 – 1 cup for later when the meat is done to use as a finishing sauce.
5. Set up a charcoal grill for indirect grilling, medium hot (300° max), and use mesquite/pecan chips for smoke.
6. Smoke the roast for about 4-5 hours or as long as it takes to get to 195°, add coals every hour and a handful or two of wood chips. Liberally mop the roast with the mop sauce about every 45 minutes to an hour.
7. Cook until it’s well done (195°) in the center – this will help it shred easier.
8. When it’s done, let sit for about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes, then tear it apart into shreds.
9. Ladle the remaining mop sauce over the shredded pork.

Here's the 9 pound pork butt I let marinade overnight
http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Coldpizzaphoto/media/image-16.jpg.html

Here's the butt after applying the rub

http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Coldpizzaphoto/media/image-18.jpg.html

Here's the finished product
http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Coldpizzaphoto/media/image-17.jpg.html

I would certainly make this again and was surprised how moist the meat was.


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## disco

That looks interesting  Thanks for posting the recipe!








Disco


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## chef willie

Now that looks outstanding....I'm liking the large pics as well. Curious as to your type of grill? how long did you have to nurse that along? Nice job, regardless...glad it was a success for you.....Willie


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## baja traveler

Recipe copied for future use!

I love Carnitas...


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## bama bbq

Where's the "pulled pork using lard and crisping the pork prior to serving" photos?  I need more photos!  :)

I like to crisp leftover pork tenderloin and serve it in fried tortilla shells as a kind of carnitas knock off.


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## knucklehead

Thanks for the recipe. Looks phenomenal!


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## dearhawke

What temperature did you smoke the pork???


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## dirtsailor2003

Tasty looking pork there!


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## chef jimmyj

Looks great and I like the Recipe, Thanks...JJ


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## bill richardson

What did you use for marinade? Looks great and my mouth is watering. Lucky I have some in the freezer, guess whats for dinner.


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## webowabo

Love me some carnita's... recipe looks legit... and the pork could be eaten alone :) Thanks.. Happy 40th!

Mike


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## smokenado

Dearhawk,

I smoked it at 250-275 did dip to 225 for a few.


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## smokenado

Bill Richardson,

I used Orange Juice and whole bulb of garlic slightly chopped the garlic and let it soak overnight.


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## bill richardson

Thanks for the information. Great job................


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## smokenado

Chef Willie,

The smoker is an older Brinkmann Pittmaster Deluxe it's not to hard to maintain temps so I added coals about every hour and half. Cooked total of 14 hours for 9 Lbs.


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## smokenado

Bama BBQ said:


> Where's the "pulled pork using lard and crisping the pork prior to serving" photos?  I need more photos!  :)
> 
> I like to crisp leftover pork tenderloin and serve it in fried tortilla shells as a kind of carnitas knock off.


I had to pull it the next day and forgot to take picks whenever I have pulled the next day after sitting ing the fridge overnight its usually a pain but this one was easy.


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## langm77

The OJ and garlic that you have for the mop and sauce, that isn't the amount that you used for the brine is it?  Am I correct in assuming that you used an additional amount to brine the roast in?   It looks great by the way and am asking causer I'm planning on trying this out this weekend. Thanks


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## smokenado

langm77 said:


> The OJ and garlic that you have for the mop and sauce, that isn't the amount that you used for the brine is it?  Am I correct in assuming that you used an additional amount to brine the roast in?   It looks great by the way and am asking causer I'm planning on trying this out this weekend. Thanks



The mop sauce is a separate recipe it's listed above. So you soak the Pork overnight in OJ and Garlic and toss that mixture then make up the mop sauce using the left over rub OJ Beer and everything else listed.


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## the greenes

OMG that looks SO good!


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## palladini

smokenado said:


> I had to pull it the next day and forgot to take picks whenever I have pulled the next day after sitting ing the fridge overnight its usually a pain but this one was easy.


So you pulled it, what you do to it then, to make it carnitas?

For those of us one country removed from Mexico, we know very little about the Mexican food culture, so please elaborate!


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## smokinfor7

Try tacos with finely diced cilantro amd onions. Top with a tomatillo salsa. Mmmmmm goood!!


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## b-rhino

Great recipe!  I'm new at smoking and tried this recipe on my first smoked pork butt and it turned out very yummy.

The 7 pound roast took about 11 hours @ 250 degrees.  After it was done cooking, settled, and pulled, I added about a teaspoon or so more salt to the remaining Mop sauce, then heated it med-high with some pulled pork in a skillet - just long enough to get everything sizzling.  

I added some of the heated pork onto a corn tortilla, topped it with home-made salsa and a little shredded chihuahua cheese and a pinch of lime juice. Goes great with the rest of the six-pack of the Mexican beer :-)


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## oldschoolbbq

Smokenado , thanks for the look . I love to make these , Corn Tortillas fried in the Lard with Carnitas , Salas Fresco , Creama , and Asadero Cheese. Dang that sounds Marvelous
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






   
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





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