Smoked Pork Shoulder Carnitas, on Traeger Grill. How to & Step-by-Step, with Smoked Tomatillo Salsa.

pork shoulder

🥗Healthier: pork tenderloin

💰Cheaper: pork butt

Pork butt is more affordable and still provides rich flavor.

sour cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: plain yogurt

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess.

Inject the pork shoulder with Spanglish Acevedo's citrus marinade mix mixed with apple juice using a meat injector.

Apply a generous coat of Spanglish Acevedo's signature all-purpose rub on one side of the pork shoulder.

Flip the pork shoulder and apply a generous coat of Mexican ancho chili rub.

Preheat the Traeger grill to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the pork shoulder on the grill with an aluminum pan underneath to catch drippings, inserting an internal probe to monitor temperature.

Cook the pork shoulder until it reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit and the bark has formed, checking for a deep mahogany brown color.

After about five hours, remove the pork shoulder from the grill and place it into the drip pan, keeping the juices.

Add chopped onions, garlic, half a cup of Mexican coke, and the marinade used for injection into the drip pan.

Squeeze the juice from one orange into the drip pan and add the orange peels as well.

Cover the drip pan and continue cooking the pork shoulder until it reaches 200-203 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the pork shoulder from the grill and cover it with towels to rest for about an hour.

Prepare the salsa by blending roasted tomatillos, half a roasted onion, cilantro, and roasted garlic, and removing seeds and veins from the peppers before adding them to the blender.

If the salsa is too spicy, tone it down by adding uncooked tomatoes.

Heat two tortillas at a time on a cast iron skillet or a tortilla warmer, covering them with a towel to keep warm.

Shred the rested pork shoulder using bear claws, mixing it with the juices in the drip pan to reabsorb moisture.

Serve the carnitas in the warmed tortillas with sides of cilantro, onions, and lime.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary