15 Leftover Carnitas Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How many carnitas do I need for 30 people? ›

Making a big batch of carnitas is a great way to feed a crowd. Boneless pork butt loses about half of its weight during the cooking process. For a party, you want to plan for about ⅓-1/2 pound of pulled pork per person.

You can plan on 3-4 servings per pound. So, a 5 pound roast will yield approximately 2 1/2 pounds of cooked pork and therefore 8-10 servings.

The orange juice in the cooking liquid provides acidity that helps break down the meat so it's extra tender and juicy.

In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper then generously season the pork on all sides. Add Onion, Garlic and Citrus: Place the seasoned pork in the bottom of the slow cooker then add garlic, chopped onions, orange juice, and lime juice around it.

About four pounds is enough to serve eight to 12 people once the meat is cooked. You can easily make a half batch, but carnitas freeze extremely well, so think about making the full order!

I go by similar math as others here and always figure for leftovers. 1/2 lb per person with 1/3 loss during prep/cook. 15 lb shoulder I feed 20 people with plenty leftover. Pork butt rule: if you think you need 15 lbs, get 20.

A standard serving size for pulled pork is around 4 to 6 ounces per person. – Two 8-pound pork butts - Yellow mustard - Your favorite BBQ dry rub - Wood for smoke You should buy about 16 pounds of pork shoulder for 20 people!

I like to put ~6 oz on a sandwich, so a 10 lb bone in should give me ~20 sandwiches, boneless about 25. Yield and cost will determine which you decide to use. If you can get boneless at a cost that makes up for the less yield, that's likely the way to go....

This recipe for authentic Mexican carnitas makes super tender meat with a bacon-like crispiness on the outside. The secret? Cooking the pork slowly in lard, water and milk. Today's recipe is a classic old-school rendition of carnitas prepared traditionally: cooked slowly in lard.

Why co*ke in carnitas? ›

The orange juice and lime juice combo tenderises them to incredible fall apart tenderness, while the natural sugars in the juices and the co*ke combined turn what would be just another pulled pork recipe, into crispy heaven with every mouthful.

Apple juice can be used in carnitas in place of orange juice. If using apple juice, you can add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to increase the acidity.

In other regions of Mexico, people add their own special seasoning to this dish, such as condensed milk, garlic, chicken broth, co*ke, orange juice, and/or beer. Not only do these ingredients give the carnitas their distinctive golden-brownish color, but they also help tenderize the meat.

Some of the best seasonings to pair with pork are salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Some other spices and herbs that pair well with pork are cumin, chili powder, rosemary, black pepper, sage, fennel, ginger and much more!

So, follow this simple calculation to figure out how much pork you'll need per person: # of guests multiplied by .33 (⅓ pounds of meat per serving) = amount of cooked pulled pork you will need.

A question we often get is “How much meat do I need?” The starting rule of thumb is: Boneless Meat: 1/2 lb. per person for adults and 1/4 lb. per person for children.

easy calculation formula for pulled pork: 10 oz. pre-cooked weight per person X number of people, divided by 16 to get pounds of pre-cooked weight. For 30 people - 10 X 30 = 300 / 16 = 18.75 lbs.

Planning and Prep

The most important thing when planning and prepping is to purchase enough ingredients. For instance, plan for about 3-4 ounces of ground beef taco meat per person, which means a pound of ground beef can feed roughly four people.