Mexican
Carnitas
Michoacán-style carnitas slowly cooked until juicy within, golden at the edges, and fragrant with citrus and warm pork fat.
8 servings · 30 minutes prep · 240 minutes cook
Ingredients
Main
- 4 1/2 lb pork shoulder, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 lb pork belly, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 lb lard
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 orange, halved
- 1 white onion, quartered
- 8 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
Directions
Method
- Combine the pork shoulder, pork belly, lard, water, whole milk, orange, onion, garlic, bay leaves, kosher salt, Mexican oregano, and black peppercorns in a wide heavy pot.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered, turning occasionally, until the pork is tender and the liquid has evaporated into mostly clear fat, 3-3 1/2 hours.
- Remove the orange, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and loose peppercorns.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and fry the pork in the rendered fat until mahogany and crisp-edged, 20-30 minutes.
- Transfer to a rack, rest for 10 minutes, and pull into large juicy pieces.
