Carnitas
A traditional Mexican pork dish, slow-braised in lard with orange, garlic and cinnamon until tender, then fried in its own fat until golden and crisp — served in warm corn tortillas.
Ingredients
- pork shoulder1200 g
- lard150 g
- onion1 pcs
- garlic6 cloves
- orange1 pcs
- bay leaf2 leaf
- cinnamon1 stick
- cumin0.5 tsp
- water500 ml
- milk100 ml
- salt1 to taste
- black pepper1 to taste
- corn tortillas8 pcs
Instructions
Cut the pork shoulder into large chunks (5-6 cm), pat dry with a paper towel and season with salt.
Melt the lard in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork in batches and brown on all sides until lightly golden, 8-10 minutes.
Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and cumin. Pour in the orange juice and zest along with enough water to almost cover the meat.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender.
Remove the lid, raise the heat to medium and cook for another 30-40 minutes, until all the liquid has evaporated and only the rendered fat remains.
Pour in the milk and fry over medium heat for another 10-15 minutes, gently turning the pieces of meat — it will start crisping up in its own fat and develop a golden crust.
Shred the meat with two forks right in the pot, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve hot in warm corn tortillas.
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