Carnitas (Michoacán-Style Slow-Cooked Pork)
In short: Pork shoulder cooked slowly in its own fat with orange and bay until tender, then browned until crisp at the edges and tucked into tortillas. It takes about 3 h 20 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 3 h
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 3 h 20 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 640 kcal
Carnitas come from Michoacán, where whole pork is simmered in lard in huge copper pots and sold by weight on weekends. At home a heavy pot does the same job. The pork cooks gently in fat with orange, garlic and bay until tender, and then the heat goes up so the outside browns and crisps. The result is juicy inside and crunchy at the edges, ready for tortillas, onion, cilantro and a spoonful of salsa verde.
Instructions
- Toss the pork with the salt, pepper and oregano and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Put the pork in a wide heavy pot with the lard, water, orange juice, bay leaves, onion half, garlic and sugar. Squeeze the orange halves into the pot and drop them in.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat so the surface barely bubbles. Cook uncovered for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, turning the pieces now and then, until the pork is very tender.
- Keep cooking as the water evaporates and the pork begins to fry in its own fat. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook 15 to 20 minutes more, turning often, until the pieces are deep golden brown.
- Lift the pork out onto a board, discard the onion, bay and orange, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Pull the pork into chunky shreds. For extra crunch, spread it on a baking sheet and broil for 3 to 5 minutes until the edges crisp.
- Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side. Fill with carnitas, onion and cilantro, and add lime and salsa.
Tips
- Choose fatty shoulder, also sold as Boston butt. Lean cuts dry out before they turn tender, so ask the butcher to leave the fat cap on.
- Keep some of the strained cooking fat in a jar in the fridge. It is excellent for frying eggs, potatoes or the next batch of carnitas.
Questions and answers
How do I store and reheat carnitas?
Refrigerate in an airtight container with a spoonful of cooking fat for up to 4 days. Reheat in a hot skillet for a few minutes so the edges crisp again.
Can carnitas be frozen?
Yes, for up to 3 months. Freeze the shredded meat in portions with a little of its fat, thaw overnight in the fridge and crisp it in a hot pan.
What is the difference between carnitas and pulled pork?
Carnitas simmer in fat with citrus and finish with a crisp browning. Pulled pork is usually smoked or slow roasted with a dry rub and shredded without the final frying.
How long does it take to make Carnitas (Michoacán-Style Slow-Cooked Pork)?
About 3 h 20 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 3 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Carnitas (Michoacán-Style Slow-Cooked Pork)?
About 640 kcal per serving, with 38 g of protein, 38 g of carbohydrates and 36 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 640 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 38 g |
| Carbohydrates | 38 g |
| Fat | 36 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 980 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
