This Carnitas Seasoning is a game changer. There’s something magical about perfectly seasoned carnitas—crispy, tender, and infused with rich layers of spice that transport you straight to the streets of Mexico. Whether you’re slow-cooking pork in the oven or sizzling it on the stovetop, the seasoning is the heart of this dish.
The thing that restaurants do to elevate their dishes is seasoning. Two of my favorites are my best burger seasoning recipe and my seasoned salt substitute.
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Why this Carnitas Seasoning Recipe is a Keeper
Carnitas seasoning is more than just salt and pepper—it’s a carefully balanced mix of savory, smoky, and slightly citrusy flavors. Traditional carnitas achieve their bold taste through slow braising with spices, aromatics, and even a splash of citrus. The seasoning blend ensures that every bite is packed with depth and warmth.
- Authentic Flavor: It provides the signature savory, slightly smoky, and citrusy flavor that defines carnitas.
- Versatility: You can use it for more than just pork shoulder. It’s great on chicken, vegetables, and even in stews.
- Customizable: It’s easy to adjust the spice levels and flavor notes to your preference.
- Cost-Effective: Making your own seasoning blend is much cheaper than buying pre-made packets.
- Control: You control the ingredients, avoiding unwanted additives or excessive salt
What are Carnitas and Why is this Seasoning Important?
Carnitas are slow-cooked pork, crisped for texture, and seasoned with a blend of spices that enhance its smoky, savory, and citrusy flavors—making the dish truly irresistible. The seasoning is crucial as it transforms the meat, adding depth, warmth, and balance, ensuring each bite bursts with authentic Mexican flavor
Pro Tip for this Pork Carnitas Spice Blend
For optimal flavor, season before and after cooking the pork.
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Ingredient Notes for this Mexican Recipe
Use fresh seasoning for best results. Grind your own or check the expiration dates on the jars.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Smoked Paprika: This is a key ingredient for carnitas, but you can adjust the amount to control the smokiness.
- Kosher Salt: This coarse-grained salt is free of additives and iodine, making it a favorite among chefs for its pure taste and easy pinchability. It is ideal for meat.
- Seasonings: Black pepper,garlic powder, ground cumin, onion powder, etc.
Variations and Substitutions for this Robust Seasonings
- For more heat: Add cayenne pepper, chipotle powder, or finely chopped dried chili peppers (like guajillo or árbol).
- For milder flavor: Reduce or omit the chili powder. Try adding cilantro
- Dried citrus zest: Add dried orange, lime, or lemon zest for a brighter flavor.
How to Make Homemade Carnitas Seasoning
This is a wonderful addition for a crispy shredded pork street taco or anything you place in a tortilla. You can use for carnitas slow cooker or instant pot carnitas.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Measure: First, measure all the seasonings into a mixing bowl. Store in an airtight container.
Prep Ahead Suggestions for Pork Carnitas Seasoning
- Make a Large Batch: Carnitas taco seasoning keeps well, so it’s efficient to mix a big batch. Store this easy recipe in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.
- Measure and Store: Pre-measure the spices and store them in individual containers or bags. Then, when you’re ready to cook, you can quickly combine them for your carnitas recipe.
- Spice Rub: Combine the seasoning mix with a little oil (olive oil, avocado oil) to create a paste or rub. This can be done a few hours ahead of time and stored in the fridge to allow the flavors to meld, and makes it even easier to apply to the meat to enhance your flavor profile.
How to Store and Use Leftover Carnita Spice
- Storing: To store leftover carnitas seasoning, keep it in an airtight container, like a spice jar or a resealable bag, and store it in a cool, dry place. This helps maintain its freshness and prevents moisture from clumping the spices. If properly stored, the seasoning can last for months without losing its potency.
- Using Leftovers: Sprinkle the seasoning for carnitas on meats, vegetables, or even roasted potatoes for extra flavor. It also works as a dry rub for grilled chicken or beef, or as an addition to soups and stews for a warm, smoky depth.
Common Question to Love this Carnitas Seasoning
A good rule of thumb is about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons per pound of meat. If you’re braising the pork in citrus juice or broth in a slow cooker, you can also mix some of the seasoning into the liquid to infuse extra flavor
Expert Tips for Making the Best Carnitas Pork Seasoning Mix
- Toast the Spices: For a deeper flavor, toast the dried spices in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes before grinding them. Be careful not to burn them.
- Use High-Quality Spices: Fresh, high-quality spices make a big difference in the flavor of your carnitas.
- Taste and Adjust: After mixing the seasoning, taste it and adjust the ingredients to your liking.
- Serve this recipe with: Pulled Pork Tacos and Cuban Mojo Pork.
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Pork Carnitas Seasoning
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons Dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons Onion powder
- 2 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon Chili powder
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and stir well.
- Store in an airtight container.
Christina’s Notes
- Toast the Spices: For a deeper flavor, toast the dried spices in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes before grinding them. Be careful not to burn them.
- Use High-Quality Spices: Fresh, high-quality spices make a big difference in the flavor of your carnitas.
- Taste and Adjust: After mixing the seasoning, taste it and adjust the ingredients to your liking.
- Serve this recipe with: Pulled Pork Tacos and Cuban Mojo Pork.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, scroll up on the page.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
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This recipe is my personal adaption of an ethnic-inspired recipe. It is not intended to be an authentic recipe. I’ve recreated this recipe because I enjoy the flavors and I want to encourage my readers to expand their tastes and try new flavor combinations. The recipe, ingredients, and processes may have been adapted to make the recipe accessible to the average American. I have provided links to authentic versions of the recipe in the post above. I encourage you to visit these pages and learn more about the traditional version(s) of this recipe.