Simple, Perfect Carnitas

Carnitas with corn tortillas

There are some traditional Mexican recipes that very much embody the concept of ‘more is more.’ Ahem, we’re looking at you, mole. Carnitas, however, is not one of the them. 

Pork is delicious. You may as well stop reading here if you disagree.  And therefore, pork slow-cooked in nothing more than its own fat is going to be exponentially more delicious. We’ve tried recipes that call for bells and whistles like Coca-Cola, orange juice, extra garlic, condensed milk, and mysterious spice mixtures. But it turns out that if you just have good quality pork and some patience, you’ll have great carnitas. And if you’re a taco lover, you’ll know that perhaps equally important are the tortilla and the salsa. We love a tortilla made of white corn like Olotillo or something like Yellow Mushito, grown in Michoacán, the home of carnitas. Pair with a side of chiles en vinagre, guacamole, chicharrón, salsita, cilantro, and onion — y ya estás. 

Simple, Perfect Carnitas

Simple, Perfect Carnitas

Cook Time

3 hours

Cuisine

Mexican

Impress your friends with this recipe for carnitas which is as simple as it is delicious. 

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs pork loin

  • 2 lbs pork shoulder

  • 3 1/2 cups of lard  

  • 1 1/2 tbsp salt 

  • 1 3/4 cups of water

Directions

  1. Combine lard, water, pork, and salt in a Dutch oven or heavy bottom bot with a lid. Bring to a simmer, then cook on medium-low heat until the water dissolves and the meat is tender, 2-3 hours.

  2. Bring the temperature up to high in order to get the meat to crisp up as it browns in the residual lard. Stir frequently, keeping the meat cooking evenly, about 15 minutes. 

  3. Remove carnitas with tongs or a strainer and chop coarsely. Season with additional salt if needed. Serve with tortillas, salsa verde, and the garnishes of your choice. We love chiles en vinagre, guacamole, and chicharrón. 

1 comment

HUGH O'NEILL |

Love the simplicity of this !

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