Mexican Coke Pulled Pork Carnitas (Carnitas en Coca-Cola)
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Updated Jun 26, 2025, Published Jun 06, 2017
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Juicy, tender Mexican Coke Pulled Pork Carnitas (Carnitas en Coca-Cola) are slow-cooked in a Dutch oven until fall-apart tender—perfect for tacos, nachos, or burritos and ready in under 2 hours.
Table of Contents
- What is Mexican Coke Pulled Pork Carnitas?
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- Optional Variations
- How to Make Mexican Coke Pulled Pork Carnitas
- Serving & Topping Suggestions
- Mexican Coke Pulled Pork Carnitas Expert Tips & Tricks
- Storage & Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Recipes
- Mexican Coke Pulled Pork Carnitas (Carnitas en Coca-Cola) Recipe
What is Mexican Coke Pulled Pork Carnitas?
Mexican Coke Pulled Pork Carnitas are a twist on traditional carnitas, made by braising pork shoulder in Mexican Coca-Cola, herbs, and seasonings until it’s fall-apart tender. The natural sugars in the soda help tenderize the meat and create a deep caramelized crust. Inspired by Casa Marcela by Marcela Valladolid’s recipe, this version is easy to make on the stovetop in under two hours.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Only 8 ingredients and 3 simple steps. Minimal prep with maximum flavor.
- Rich caramelized flavor. The Mexican Coke tenderizes the meat while giving it a dark, flavorful crust.
- Perfect for feeding a crowd. One batch makes enough to serve 10 or more.
- Weeknight-friendly. Despite deep flavors, this dish is done in under 2 hours.
- Super versatile. Use it in tacos, tostadas, nachos, burritos, tortas, fries—you name it!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need. The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- Pork Shoulder: Also known as pork butt or Boston butt, this cut is ideal for slow cooking and braising. Leave the fat cap on for added flavor and moisture.
- Garlic Powder, Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: A simple seasoning blend that lets the Coca-Cola shine.
- Mexican Coca-Cola: Opt for the glass bottle version made with cane sugar (not HFCS) for the best caramelization and flavor.
- Dried Bay Leaves: Adds depth and a subtle earthiness to the braise.
- Fresh Thyme: Bright, woodsy flavor that pairs beautifully with cola. You can sub ½ teaspoon dried thyme if needed.
- Fresh Tarragon: Bold with anise and vanilla notes. Sub chervil or fennel fronds if you can’t find it.
Optional Variations
This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
- Slow Cooker Version: Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4–5 hours.
- Swap Meats: Substitute brisket or another braising cut if you don’t eat pork.
- Try Other Sodas: Dr. Pepper, root beer, Big Red, or ginger ale can work. Choose sodas with real sugar for best results.
How to Make Mexican Coke Pulled Pork Carnitas
Step 1: Season the pork. Generously season pork shoulder pieces with garlic powder, salt, and pepper on all sides. Leave the fat cap on for extra moisture and flavor.
Step 2: Braise. Add seasoned pork to a snug Dutch oven. Pour in Coca-Cola and enough water to mostly submerge the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add bay leaves, thyme, and tarragon. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours, until the pork is tender and the liquid has mostly evaporated.
Step 3: Shred and serve. Transfer pork to a cutting board and shred with two forks into large chunks. Serve with warm corn tortillas, chopped onions, cilantro, sliced radishes, lime wedges, and your favorite salsa.
Serving & Topping Suggestions
This pulled pork is made for sharing and layering! Here are a few delicious ways to serve it:
- Carnitas tacos or on tostada shells with fresh toppings
- Nachos or loaded carnitas fries with melty cheese
- Pulled pork enchiladas verdes or pork tamales rojos
- Burritos, tortas, or homemade crunchwraps for something portable
Set up a DIY taco bar with bowls of toppings like chile de arbol salsa, chunky guacamole, crema mexicana, chopped onion, and fresh cilantro. Don’t forget a few bottles of Mexican Coke or a pitcher of margaritas on the rocks, frozen margaritas, or skinny margaritas for the full experience!
Mexican Coke Pulled Pork Carnitas Expert Tips & Tricks
- Brown first: For even more flavor, sear the pork in lard before braising. No lard? Use rendered pork fat or high-heat oil like avocado oil.
- Use a smaller pot: A snug Dutch oven helps keep the pork juicy and fully submerged.
- Crisp it up: After shredding, fry the pork in a skillet for crispy carnitas edges.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerated: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Frozen: Freeze cooled pork in bags for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Thaw overnight if frozen. Reheat in a skillet with oil or in a covered dish at 350ºF for 10–15 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Coke acts as a tenderizer, braising liquid, seasoning agent, and caramelizer all in one. The acidity breaks down the meat while the sugar creates a rich, flavorful crust.
Both are great for moisture and flavor. Coke adds sweetness and caramelization, while beer brings a malty depth. Try both and see which you prefer!
Nope! Skip the diet soda. The artificial sweeteners won’t caramelize and may alter the flavor. Stick to regular Mexican Coke made with cane sugar.
Yes, but Mexican Coca-Cola is made with cane sugar, which gives better caramelization and flavor. If using American Coke, you may notice a slightly different taste and texture.
More Recipes
If you tried this Mexican Coke Pulled Pork Carnitas or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Mexican Coke Pulled Pork Carnitas (Carnitas en Coca-Cola)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup Coca-Cola
- ½ cup water
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh tarragon
- warm corn tortillas
- chopped onion
- cilantro
- sliced radishes
- lime wedges
- Chile de arbol salsa
Instructions
- Season the pork heavily on both sides with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Transfer the seasoned pork to a heavy Dutch oven, making sure the pan is small, so the pork fits snugly, which will prevent the meat from drying out when it cooks. Add Coca-Cola and water. Bring to a boil and decrease the heat to maintain a simmer. Add the bay leaves, thyme, and tarragon. Cover and simmer until the pork is tender, about 1 ½ hours. The Coca-Cola will caramelize and the liquid will evaporate when finished.
- Transfer the cooked pork to a cutting board, and using two forks, shred the meat into 2-inch long pieces.
- Serve with the warmed corn tortillas, chopped onion, chopped cilantro, sliced radishes, lime wedges, and salsa.
Notes
- Pork shoulder vs. pork butt: These cuts are often used interchangeably. Either works well for this Mexican Coke Pulled Pork Carnitas recipe.
- Why use Mexican Coca-Cola? Mexican Coke is made with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup, which gives the pork better caramelization and flavor.
- Substitute for fresh herbs: If you don’t have fresh thyme or tarragon, you can substitute ½ teaspoon of dried thyme and ¼ teaspoon of dried tarragon or fennel fronds.
- Make it crispy: After shredding, fry the pork in a skillet for crispy edges just like traditional carnitas.
- Storage tips: Leftover carnitas can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet or oven for best texture.
- Serving ideas: Use this pulled pork for tacos, nachos, burritos, tostadas, or enchiladas. Don’t forget toppings like chopped onion, cilantro, sliced radishes, lime wedges, and Chile de Arbol Salsa.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So good! I swapped in Dr. Pepper for the Coke and used dried Mexican oregano instead of tarragon (since Dr. Pepper already has an anise-y flavor), then cooked it in my slow cooker for 10 hours on low (because it’s 8 million degrees with 10,000% humidity, so turning on the oven was not on the table), then I crisped it up the way your crispy braised carnitas recipe suggested. My husband has declared he wants to eat this every day for the rest of his life lol.
I dont have a dutch oven,can I make this in my crockpot? Or a regular pot on the stove?
Yes absolutely! I would recommend a thick heavy stock pot. Buen provecho!
Did you cook this uncovered? I cooked mine covered and the liquid did not all evaporate. Is it worth reducing the liquid into a sauce?
LOVE Marcela’s book as well. Kind of did the same thing when I first opened your cookbook. It so great to see such strong dedicated latina’s that our dedicated and proud of their culture. Our Mom’s were the best teachers and we are so blessed to know that we can continue their legacy through our food and design. I’m a designer and photographer as well and have a beautiful collection of cookbooks… the recipes of course are great but the layouts and photography are a work of art. Thank you and your family for your sharing your gifts. Our family grew up with the Tex Mex style of cooking and your cookbook is my go to for many recipes.