Authentic Carnitas Recipe
Michoacán, Mexico
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Introduction & history
Originating from the state of Michoacán in Mexico, carnitas, which translates to "little meats" in Spanish, is made by cooking pork in copious amounts of lard for hours until achieving a perfect balance between tender, juicy meat and crispy, golden brown outside. All parts of the pig are used, including the feet, the head, and the entrails. The meat is usually first roasted until crispy and browned on the outside, then simmered low and slow so it turns fork-tender. Traditionally, the meat is seasoned only with salt, although frequently, recipes will include additional seasonings such as bay leaves, onions, garlic, and orange juice, for example, which all cook in the lard together with meat. Carnitas is traditionally prepared in a large copper pot, which conducts even heating. In a taqueria, you can order carnitas by picking the part of the pig you'd like in your taco or even order a surtida taco with every bit of pig. Carnitas are usually used to make tacos, burritos, and tortas ... Read more
Cooking tips
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pork
The entire pig, from the meaty parts to the offal, feet, skin, entrails, and head, is traditionally used for making carnitas. For at-home preparation, fatty cuts of pork are preferred. However, because most of the pork in the world is nowadays bred to be lean, for the most authentic flavor, look for farmers that breed heritage pigs, which are fattier, and thus their meat is juicier and has more flavor.... Read more -
lard
Real carnitas must be cooked in copious amounts of lard, and that is non-negotiable, as cooking in it does not draw out as much moisture from the meat. It's important not to burn the lard so you can reuse it for other times you make carnitas. In Mexico, in fact, every time they make carnitas, they mix the seasoned mother lard (seasoned from all the spices that were added) from previous cooking with ... Read more -
method
Traditionally, the pig is first seared in hot lard until crispy, then simmered for hours until fall-apart tender. Once the meat is seared and crispy, salted water is added to the pot to prevent the lard from burning. Plus, if it did not burn, that same lard can be used multiple times for making carnitas. -
additional ingredients
Various herbs and seasonings are often added to the pot as the meat cooks for flavor. Some of the typically used ones include bay leaves, pepper, onion, garlic, and orange juice. For more caramelization and crispiness, Mexican cola or milk can be added. -
equipment
Carnitas is traditionally prepared in a wide copper pot over an open fire. The copper pot is used because it gives a slow and even heating. However, for those outside Mexico and the US, it could be hard to find or be too much of an investment as they can get quite pricey online. For at-home preparation, a crockpot can be used. -
at home preparation
Preparing carnitas at home requires adjustment, which is why most recipes do not follow the traditional way of making it, as it's more complicated. What is preferred for at-home preparation is the reverse method of cooking the meat low and slow in either lard or its own fat until fork-tender, then crisping it up in a small amount of fat to get the soft yet crispy meat. Naturally, not the whole pig ... Read more -
serving
Carnitas are used as a filling for tacos, burritos, and tortas. They are usually served with various salsas, guacamole, refried beans, lime wedges, pico de gallo, or various fresh and pickled vegetables.
Recipe variations
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Authentic Carnitas
Ready in 4h 30minThe following is the traditional carnitas recipe, where pork is fried in copious amounts of lard (as it should be!) until browned and tender. The recipe is courtesy of Hank Shaw, a chef, cookbook author,, and outdoorsman who runs the James Beard awards-winning wild foods website Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. He specialized in all things wild, from venison to small game, edible wild plants, mushrooms, fish and seafood. The meat and the lard is additionally seasoned with orange peel, bay leaves, onion, and garlic.
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Home-Style Carnitas by Rick Bayless
Ready in 3h 30minIn this variant, the carnitas are prepared in a way that suits at-home preparation by using only pork shoulder that is prepared utilizing the reverse method of first baking the meat low and slow until fork-tender, then roasting it at a high temperature to get the succulent yet crispy pork. No lard is needed here, and the flavorings are optional. The recipe is courtesy of Rick Bayless, the US chef, restauranter, author, and TV host, who is the preeminent authority on Mexican cuisine and has won numerous awards for his work on the subject.
Authentic Carnitas
PREP 30min
COOK 4h
READY IN 4h 30min
The following is the traditional carnitas recipe, where pork is fried in copious amounts of lard (as it should be!) until browned and tender. The recipe is courtesy of Hank Shaw, a chef, cookbook author,, and outdoorsman who runs the James Beard awards-winning wild foods website Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. He specialized in all things wild, from venison to small game, edible wild plants, mushrooms, fish and seafood. The meat and the lard is additionally seasoned with orange peel, bay leaves, onion, and garlic.
Ingredients
5 lbs (2.3 kg) various bits of pork
salt
3 qt (2.6 kg) lard
3 oranges, zest of
5 bay leaves
1 white onion, quartered
1 head garlic, sliced in half
Preparation
Cut the meat into large pieces and season well with salt.
Heat lard in a pot to around 200°F/93°C; you may need over 3 quarts.
Add pork in stages, based on how long it takes them to cook, so in the following order: hocks, feet, tongue, heart, jowls, shoulder, ribs, hind leg, skin, belly, and loins. Wait 30 minutes before adding the next type of meat. Remember that even the quickest cooking meat, like loin, cooks for at least an hour.
As soon as the first piece of pork is in, include all other ingredients (herbs and seasonings).
Maintain a temperature of about 195°F/90°C until everything is tender, which usually takes around 4 hours.
Once the meat is tender, remove it, let it cool slightly, then debone.
For the finish, either fry the meat at 350°F/180°C for a crispy exterior if you are not saving the lard or sear in the pot with only 1 cup (240g) of lard if you plan to reuse the rest of the lard.
Chop or shred the finished meat for serving. It stays fresh for a week in the refrigerator and can be frozen.
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