Smoked Pork Belly Carnitas

Each crispy bite of Smoked Pork Belly Carnitas is packed with so much juicy flavor and texture. You’ll have a hard time deciding on a taco, sandwich, or just a fork. Seriously simple to pull off, there are no excuses.

Carnitas happens to be one of my favorite tacos to order when I go out because I don’t typically fry a lot of food at home. I can always find them fried and crispy to perfection served with a number of fresh salsas and toppings.

Frying food at home takes extra ingredients and makes a mess. These smoked pork belly carnitas are designed to simplify the process for both cooking and prep while replicating the experience of crispy pork with juicy flavors inside. Pork belly is seasoned, smoked, and pulled into bite-size pieces using the same method as my recipe for pulled pork belly.

Why You’ll Love Pork Belly Carnitas

• Crispy textures. Every single bite is full of crispy bark, along with meaty pork and rich fat.
• Packed with flavor. Pork belly is thinner than pork shoulder, giving the seasonings a better chance to penetrate through each bite.
• Pork flavor. We’re not hiding pork behind a sugary rub. This pork belly has a delicious natural flavor enhanced with spices and aromatics.
• Prep ahead friendly. Pulled pork belly can be reheated very easily, crisped up in a skillet on demand. Another reason to make more for yourself.

It’s important to address that this recipe is not traditional, but an interpretation of the authentic slow-cooked pork shoulder recipe for carnitas. Let’s take a moment to describe the original, which is where the inspiration comes from.

What are Traditional Carnitas?

Carnitas are golden-brown chunks of pork that have been cooked slowly in pork fat, creating a crispy exterior with a juicy interior. Carnitas tacos are garnished with a variety of toppings, typically including salsas, guacamole, and even just cilantro and onions with salt.

The origins of carnitas are thought to have come from Mexico City, but this dish is known to be famous in the state of Michoacan. Pork shoulder is cooked in large copper pots, said to conduct the heat properly for even cooking. Traditional carnitas has a simple base recipe, which consists of fresh pork, lard, salt, and water. Many different carnitas joints around Mexico will adjust their recipes with different herbs, spices, and of course salsas to finish.

Carnitas has changed quite a bit over time, especially in the United States. Many different cuts are used for a variety of textures, and new flavors are infused. It’s not uncommon to see pork shoulder slowly cooked with slices of orange, spices, and even a splash of Mexican Coca-Cola.

While we don’t have access to the large copper pots of Michoacan, there are a number of ways to replicate or mimic the textures and flavors. One of the most common ways you’ll likely see carnitas when searching on the web is to slowly cook the pork shoulder in a crockpot, oven, or smoker and then finish it off by crisping it up under a broiler or in a skillet. No matter which method you choose, make sure you have plenty of tortillas with fresh salsa!

As you’ve seen traditional pork carnitas has a very simple list of ingredients. Over time, herbs and spices have been added to complement the flavor of the pork. Smoked pork belly needs a bit more than just salt and fat, so this recipe for Pork Carnitas Seasoning was developed. This specific blend of flavors works well with smoked pork carnitas, deeply seasoning the meat while focusing on the natural pork flavors you’d expect.

Pork Carnitas Seasoning

Measured for use up to approximately 5 pounds of pork belly.

• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

These spices can be simply mixed together and you’re ready to go. Feel free to use fresh-ground black pepper, which will have a stronger flavor. Dried Mexican oregano can be either the leaves or the ground version, but make sure to crumble up the leaves if using those before mixing them into the spices.

How to Make Smoked Carnitas

Carnitas need to be crispy on the outside, which is what makes the first step is the most crucial: prepping and seasoning the pork belly for smoking.

STEP 1: Score and season the pork belly. Using a very sharp knife, cut a crosshatch pattern into both sides of the pork belly. Cut about ¼-inch deep into the meat, on both sides. Take the pork carnitas seasoning and rub it all over the pork belly, making sure to push it into the slices as well. There should be enough rub for up to about a 5-pound pork belly. Use just enough to season the pork, don’t overdo it. NOTE: Purchase a pork belly with no skin. This recipe will not work the same if the skin is still attached.

STEP 2: Dry brine in the fridge for 48 hours. This is the most important process as it will help create the crispy exterior while deeply seasoning the meat. Read below to learn more about dry-brining and how it works.

What is Dry-Brining?

This is a fancy name for the simple process of salting and resting meat before cooking it. Doing so provides the same goals of wet-brining without diluting the natural flavors of the meat. The food becomes deeply seasoned and remains very juicy.

Season the meat, and allow it to rest uncovered in the fridge for a period of time. It’s as simple as that. Osmosis and diffusion do the magic, drawing out excess moisture and sucking back in salt, creating a natural brine that penetrates deep into the muscles.

Benefits of Dry-Brining

• Crispier bark, crust, or skin on the outside.
• Deeply seasoned food throughout every bite.
• Higher juice and moisture retention.
• Simple process, very little work involved.

You’ll be using this same method for ALL meats, including whole chicken, turkey, pork, chicken wings, and more. Dry-brining works well for anything that will be smoked slowly, or grilled directly over the coals.

How Long Should the Meat Dry-Brine?

The time required for dry-brining depends on what you’re doing and the size of the meat. Smaller cuts that you’ll cook for a shorter period of time and searing on the grill won’t take much longer than an hour or so, and larger cuts like the Prime Rib above need to dry-brine overnight. Most meats will be seasoned properly if rested overnight.

Equipment for Dry-Brining

Aside from your seasoning of choice, the only equipment that I recommend is a wire rack on a baking sheet. Allowing the meat to be elevated provides even airflow around the meat, drying out the outside on the bottom as well, which lifts it out of its own juices. Having a soggy bottom goes against what you’re trying to accomplish.

STEP 3: Smoke at 250°F until internal temperature is around 180°F. Place the pork belly fat-side up, away from the heat source, into the smoker. Smoking a pork belly should take about 6-8 hours depending on the size and fat content. Do not attempt to smoke at a lower temp, it will not properly render out the pork fat in the same way. I’ve tested smoking a pork belly on a pellet grill, as well as live fire. You do not need to spritz, there is so much fat in the pork belly that will render out and keep it moist.

STEP 4: Increase heat to 300°F until it’s done. Higher heat will crisp up the outside bark, giving that fried texture to the fat and meat. The final temperature will be around 200-205°F. Use a temp probe or toothpick, it should slide right through the smoked pork belly with little resistance. Remove the pork belly and immediately wrap in butcher paper, allowing it to rest for at least 30-45 minutes.

STEP 5: Shred and serve immediately. The juices will dry out if left to sit, so make sure your guests are available and hungry. If you’re planning to store it for another day, shred and store it once it has cooled off a bit.

What if the Smoked Pork Belly is done but not crispy enough?

This can happen, it depends on the fat content and many other factors with the smoker. Shred the pork belly and crisp it up immediately in a cast-iron skillet or a broiler in the oven. Make sure to pour in all of the juices when you do so.

Can I smoke the pork belly carnitas ahead of time?

Absolutely yes, and you’ll simply crisp up the pork as described above. Doing so ahead of time does not impact the final flavors or textures.

How should I serve the carnitas?

Tacos are the key, though I wouldn’t roll my eyes if you wanted to make some amazing sandwiches. Whatever you choose, make sure the pork is the star. Less is more when it comes to tacos. Here are some recommended toppings:

• Fresh salsa verde
• Hatch chile salsa verde
• Smoked pickled jalapenos
• Pico de gallo
• Crispy radishes
• Chopped cilantro and onions

More Taco Recipes You’ll Love

• Carne Asada Tacos
• Chile Relleno Tacos
• Ancho Coffe Skirt Steak Tacos

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