Mexican Carnitas – Slow-Braised Pork with Crispy Edges

About This Recipe

Carnitas — 'little meats' — are the king of Mexican taco fillings: pork shoulder braised slowly in lard (or a lard-water mixture) with orange, garlic, and spices until completely tender, then the fat is cooked down and the pork is crisped in it until golden and irresistibly crunchy on the outside while still moist and pull-apart inside. The combination of textures — the crispy bits and the tender shreds — is what makes carnitas extraordinary and unlike any other braised pork preparation. The method is essentially a confit: the pork cooks submerged in fat at low temperature, which keeps it moist and transfers enormous flavour. The orange juice adds both sweetness and acidity that helps break down the meat, while Mexican oregano and cumin provide the characteristic flavour. The final crisping step — where the lard cooks away and the pork begins to fry in its own rendered fat — requires watching carefully to achieve maximum crispiness without burning. Carnitas are made for tacos: spooned into warm corn tortillas with diced onion, fresh coriander, salsa verde and a squeeze of lime. They make exceptional quesadillas, burritos, and nachos. Make a large batch — they reheat beautifully and freeze well.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 1.5 kgpork shoulder(bone-in, cut into large chunks)
• 1orange(halved)
• 1whole head garlic(halved horizontally)
• 2 tspground cumin
• 1 tspdried oregano(preferably Mexican)
• 2 tspsalt
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 1 cancola or beer(330ml)
• 200 mlwater
• 16small corn tortillas(to serve)
• diced onion, fresh coriander, lime(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Season and brown the pork

   Rub pork generously with cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Sear in batches in a heavy pot until deeply golden all over.

2. 2

   Braise

   Add orange (squeezed in), garlic, cola and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 2 hours, turning occasionally, until pork is completely tender and most liquid has evaporated.

   The liquid should mostly evaporate, leaving just fat and pork juices.

3. 3

   Crisp the carnitas

   Once liquid has evaporated and only fat remains, increase heat to medium-high. The pork will begin frying in its own fat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15–20 minutes until golden and crispy on the edges.

   Watch carefully at this stage — the difference between perfectly crispy and burnt is minutes.

4. 4

   Shred and serve

   Remove pork and shred roughly with two forks. Serve in warm corn tortillas with diced onion, coriander and lime juice.

Variations

• •

  Oven carnitas: braise in a 160°C oven uncovered for 2.5 hours, then increase to 220°C for the final crisping.

• •

  Slow-cooker carnitas: cook on LOW 8–10 hours, then crisp under the grill.

Storage

Keeps 4 days in the fridge. Freeze for 3 months. Reheat in a pan with a little oil to re-crisp.

Frequently Asked Questions