Taco-Style Grilled Carnitas with Pineapple Salsa

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-11 · Updated 2026-05-11

Tender slow-cooked pork carnitas grilled to achieve a slight char, served with a bright pineapple salsa for a popular Mexican street-food inspired taco filling. This mexican-inspired pork ready in about 215 minutes blends orange juice, lime juice, garlic cloves, minced into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 6, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1 cup pineapple, finely diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, combine 2 pounds pork shoulder chunks with 1 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup lime juice, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Step 2: Preheat oven to 300°F. Transfer the pork and marinade to a roasting pan, cover with foil, and cook for 3 hours until the pork is very tender and easily shredded.
3. Step 3: While the pork cooks, prepare pineapple salsa by mixing 1 cup finely diced pineapple, 1/4 cup finely diced red onion, 1 small minced seeded jalapeño, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro in a bowl. Set aside.
4. Step 4: Once pork is cooked, shred it with two forks. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Grill pork in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until edges are crispy and slightly charred.
5. Step 5: Warm 12 small corn tortillas on the grill for 30 seconds per side. Fill each tortilla with grilled pork carnitas and top with pineapple salsa before serving.