Carnitas (literally "little meats")

Enter any Mexican taqueria in California and you'll find carnitas on the menu, usually pork butt (the shoulder roast) braised first, roasted on high heat to caramelize the outside and then pulled apart. It can be eaten by itself or with tortillas, guacamole and salsa. It also makes a great filling for tamales, enchiladas, tacos and burritos.

Carnitas, literally meaning "little meats", is a dish of Mexican cuisine originating from the state of Michoacán. The state of Michoaca, Mexico is renowned for its carnitas. And for good reason—they cook huge hunks of pork shoulder in oversized copper pots filled with lard. Once the lard has melted, pork and flavorings are added and the meat is simmered over a very low heat until tender. The heat is then turned up and the outside of the pork is crisped while the interior stays moist and tender. The carnitas are usually cooled and shredded.

Diana Kennedy recommends cooking the pork shoulder in water instead of lard until the liquid has evaporated. Because you haven't trimmed the fat off the pork, after the water is gone the pot is filled with rendered pork fat (aka lard!) that browns the outside to a caramelized crisp. It’s such a simple method.

Diana Kennedy also suggests using some orange juice in place of the water. Brian and I like to use orange juice with a couple of tablespoons of lime juice to mimic sour oranges. We tried them once with apple juice and prefer the orange juice - and it's more authentic. America's Test Kitchen also adds the orange rind halves into the pot after juicing them for extra flavor.

The traditional meat is heavily marbled, rich "boston butt" or "picnic ham" cuts of pork.. Brian and I have made these with country-style pork ribs and they were terrific.

There are recipes that suggest serving the carnitas as a meat dish with rice, refried beans and salsa on the side. Diana Kennedy's recipe suggests making tacos from them. This is how we have always made them. But they would be good in enchiladas and burritos as well.

Carnitas Recipe
from The Cuisines of Mexico by Diana Kennedy

To give your carnitas a little extra flavor, you could use some orange juice in place of the water in the recipe.

1 (3-pound) pork butt or pork shoulder [see Notes]
Water, to cover [see Notes]
2 teaspoons salt

Notes:
- Country-style pork ribs also work.
- Use orange juice with a couple of tablespoons of lime juice to mimic sour oranges in place of about half of the water.

Cut pork into strips about 2-by-3/4-inch [leaving all fat on]. Place in heavy pan in a single layer. Barely cover meat with water [and orange and lime juice]. Sprinkle with salt. Bring mixture to a boil, uncovered. Lower heat and let meat continue cooking until all liquid has evaporated and the meat is tender. [This will take several hours.]

Lower heat a little and continue cooking meat until all the fat has rendered out of it. Keep turning meat until it is lightly browned on all sides. All of this will take a little more than an hour.

To Make Tacos

Serve with hot corn tortillas. Accompany with any combination of plenty of salsa, pico de gallo, finely diced cilantro, diced onions, pickled jalapeños and vegetables.

[The way Brian and I like them, place some carnitas in a fried corn tortilla and top with diced onion and radish, chopped cilantro, and a squirt of lime. Serve salsa, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and sour cream on the side for those who want it. Corn tortillas are traditional. I found this recipe for Pickled Onions & Radishes which I would like to try.]

To make Burritos

Warm tortillas on a plate covered with a damp paper towel in the microwave for about 40 seconds. [Or warm by heating in a hot dry cast iron pan.]

Lay one tortilla (10 or 12 inch flour tortilla) on a flat work surface. Place 1/2 cup Cilantro-Lime Rice, 1/4 cup canned black beans [or refried beans], 1/2 cup carnitas, and 1/4 cup Poblano-Corn Salsa, and a dollop of sour cream on the burrito. Fold the two sides over onto the top or the filling, then fold the bottom up and under the filling, and roll all the way up. Wrap burrito in a small sheet of aluminum foil to serve.

8 servings