Pork

Pork Carnitas Lettuce Wraps with Tangy Pineapple Salsa

By PowerProteinPlates Editorial TeamPublished Apr 17, 2026 | Updated Oct 22, 2026

Mexican Under review easy-recipeswhole-foods

Oven-braised pork shoulder served in lettuce leaves with pineapple, red onion and cilantro salsa.

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Prep Under review

Cook Under review

Total Under review

Servings 6

Difficulty easy

Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients

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Servings - 6 +

• 2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into large chunks
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• Juice of 1 orange
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, divided
• 1 large head romaine or butter lettuce, leaves separated and washed
• 1 cup fresh pineapple, finely diced
• 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional for mild heat)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt to taste (for salsa)

Instructions

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1. 1 Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
2. 2 In a large oven-safe Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
3. 3 Add pork shoulder chunks and sear evenly on all sides until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove pork from the pot and set aside.
4. 4 Add quartered onion and smashed garlic to the pot, sautéing for 2 minutes until fragrant.
5. 5 Return the pork chunks to the pot. Sprinkle ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper over the meat. Stir to coat the pork thoroughly with the spices.
6. 6 Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth and orange juice.
7. 7 Cover with a lid and transfer the pot to the preheated oven. Cook for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, or until the pork is very tender and easily shredded.
8. 8 While the pork cooks, prepare the pineapple salsa: In a medium bowl, combine diced pineapple, red onion, jalapeño (if using), chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and salt to taste. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
9. 9 Remove the pork from the oven once tender. Using two forks, shred the meat, discarding any large pieces of fat.
10. 10 Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice into the shredded pork for added brightness and flavor.
11. 11 Assemble the wraps by spooning a generous amount of pork carnitas onto individual lettuce leaves and topping each with a spoonful of the tangy pineapple salsa.
12. 12 Serve the pork and pineapple salsa in lettuce leaves.

Timing

Allow for preparation, searing, oven heating, 90-105 minutes braising or longer until the pork shreds, and shredding/assembly.

Ingredients

Follow the listed quantities and doneness cues. Formula-changing substitutions and nutrition claims have not been validated.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in covered containers for up to 4 days. Store fresh toppings separately.

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