Carnitas Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good carnitas? ›

The secret? Cooking the pork slowly in lard, water and milk. Today's recipe is a classic old-school rendition of carnitas prepared traditionally: cooked slowly in lard. You can find lots of recipe online using this method.

Both carnitas and pulled pork are cooked slowly for several hours, and great to make in the slow cooker or instant pot. Unlike pulled pork, however, carnitas are finished by roasting the meat in the oven until browned and crisp.

In short, more than a food, carnitas was a form of community bonding until not so long ago. Mexicans love their carnitas so much, that it has become an important part of other dishes, particularly tortas ahogadas, or drowned tortas, a typical delicacy in the state of Jalisco.

Every tortilla dreams of being stuffed with Carnitas. Picture seasoned pork slow-cooked into tender submission, gently shredded and pan-fried to golden, crispy perfection. Carnitas has that elusive combination of juicy and crispy that's so irresistible.

The orange juice in the cooking liquid provides acidity that helps break down the meat so it's extra tender and juicy.

In other regions of Mexico, people add their own special seasoning to this dish, such as condensed milk, garlic, chicken broth, co*ke, orange juice, and/or beer. Not only do these ingredients give the carnitas their distinctive golden-brownish color, but they also help tenderize the meat.

Pork shoulder: Traditionally, carnitas is made with pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) because of its higher fat content. The fat helps to keep the meat extremely juicy and tender while cooking.

You can use corn or flour (we love corn, but that's up to you). Gently heat the tortillas before serving. TRICK: Turn on your grill or gas burner, and quickly heat them over the heat. You'll get a little char and warm them just enough, but don't over do it, or they will dry out!

Then we use the usual suspects! Black pepper, cumin, sweet paprika but you can use hot or smoked if you desire, onion and garlic powder, oregano, marjoram, bay, thyme and in my case a bit of ancho chili powder.

Skip the chorizo, fried fish, and carnitas (fried pork or beef), which are higher in unhealthy saturated fat.

What are some fun facts about carnitas? ›

Unlike tacos or beans, carnitas wasn't part of the diet of ancient Mexicans. The reason is that pork was brought to Mexico by the Spanish colonialists only in the 16^th century. However, it didn't take long for this new type of meat to earn its place on the tables of Mexicans of all backgrounds.

Also known as carnitas in Guatemala, these refer to a meatier part of the pork rind. Where a chicharrón is, strictly speaking, skin and fat, carnitas denotes skin with some meat as well. (In other places, carnitas generally refers to fried pork meat without skin or a stew-like dish made from it.)

The Al Pastor meat is usually made from boneless pork shoulder, which is a triangular cut from the area just above the front leg of the pig. Butchers often sell pork shoulder with the skin on and a layer of fat. The al pastor taco has to be cooked on a rotating spit.

Carnitas, carne asada, and al pastor are all authentic Mexican dishes. Carnitas is made with pork that has been braised or slow-cooked until it's fork-tender. Carne asada is made with beef that has been grilled to perfection. Al pastor is made with pork that has been grilled and then sliced off the spit.

The word “carnitas” means “l*ttle meats” in Spanish. These three dishes are very similar, but have some differences. Barbacoa can be either shredded or chopped, birria is usually shredded and served with a sauce or broth, and carnitas is usually chopped.

For our carnitas, we want the temperature of the confit cooking fat to be about 200°F (93°C) or a little higher. At this temperature, we won't be drying out the surface of the meat cubes while we heat their centers.

Another alternative is to add a bit extra water and then cook off the water when you're ready to serve. The advantage is that you'll preserve most of the flavours that way and also have fresh-from-the-stove carnitas.