Carnitas Ramen
Carnitas and ramen shouldn't work together on paper, but the moment you taste tender, citrus-braised pork shoulder falling apart into a savory broth with slurpable noodles underneath, all that logic goes out the window. Traditional carnitas get braised low and slow with orange and lime until the meat practically shreds itself, and that cooking liquid becomes this incredible base for a ramen broth that's porky and bright at the same time. The whole thing takes a while because good carnitas can't be rushed, but most of that time is hands-off, just letting the oven do the work while your kitchen fills with the smell of rendered pork fat and citrus. What you end up with is this beautiful collision of Mexican comfort food and Japanese noodle soup, where the carnitas bring all that slow-cooked richness and the ramen format gives you something to slurp. Top it with pickled red onions and fresh cilantro, and you've got a bowl that feels both familiar and completely new.
Slow fire renders fat—orange and lime cut through rich—two worlds become one.
Let Me Tell You...
The first time I made carnitas was a disaster, which is how most of my cooking adventures start.
I'd bought a massive pork shoulder on sale without any plan, and when I finally got around to cooking it, I figured I'd just throw it in the oven with some orange juice and hope for the best. Four hours later, I had tough, dry meat sitting in a pool of greasy liquid, and I ate it anyway because I'm stubborn, but I knew I'd done something wrong.
Turns out you need to braise it covered first, then uncover it to crisp up the edges, and you need way more liquid than you think.
5 hours.
Only uncover for the last 30 minutes to crisp the edges.
When I finally figured out the technique, carnitas became one of those things I'd make on lazy Sundays when I had nowhere to be, the kind of cooking where you prep everything in twenty minutes and then let time do the rest. The trick is using a mix of orange juice and lime juice for the braising liquid, plus some garlic and cumin, and letting the pork shoulder cook until it's so tender you can shred it with a fork without any resistance.
The fat renders out and bastes the meat from below, and when you uncover it for the last half hour, the top gets these crispy, caramelized bits that are the best part.
Strain it and use it as your ramen broth base for maximum flavor.
I started putting carnitas on ramen by accident one night when I had leftover pork and some instant noodles and no tortillas, and the combination was so good I couldn't believe nobody had told me about it before.
The rich, fatty pork works perfectly with chewy ramen noodles, and the citrus notes from the braising liquid brighten up the whole bowl.
Now I make the broth intentionally, straining the braising liquid and adding a splash of soy sauce and some chicken stock to round it out.
The pickled red onions are non-negotiable because they cut through all that richness with their acidic crunch.
Game changer.
There's something meditative about making carnitas, the way you prep everything and then just wait, checking on it occasionally but mostly letting the oven work its magic.
When it's finally done and you're shredding the meat with two forks, watching it fall apart into perfect strands, it feels like you've accomplished something even though you mostly just watched TV for three hours.
Serving it over ramen turns a Mexican classic into something unexpected, and that first bite of tender pork with citrusy broth and slippery noodles is the kind of thing that makes you want to cook more often.
Ingredients
- 2 packages ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets)
- 2.5 lbs pork shoulder (bone-in or boneless)
- 1 cup fresh orange juice (about 2 large oranges)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup lime juice (for quick pickle)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (for quick pickle)
- Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Season the pork shoulder generously with salt, pepper, cumin, and dried oregano, rubbing the spices into all sides of the meat.
- Place the seasoned pork in a Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot. Add the smashed garlic, orange juice, and 1/4 cup lime juice. The liquid should come about 1/3 of the way up the meat.
- Cover the pot tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Braise in the oven for 2.5 hours.
- While the pork braises, prepare the quick-pickled onions. Place the sliced red onion in a bowl with 1/4 cup lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine and let sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 2.5 hours, remove the lid from the pork. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Continue cooking uncovered for 30 minutes, until the top is browned and crispy in spots.
- Remove the pork from the pot and transfer to a cutting board. Shred the meat with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or bone.
- Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium pot. Skim off excess fat if desired. Add the chicken stock and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer and taste, adjusting salt as needed.
- Cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions. Drain and divide between serving bowls.
- Ladle the hot broth over the noodles. Top generously with shredded carnitas, including some of the crispy bits.
- Garnish with drained pickled red onions, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.