Carnitas need no introduction. Besides al pastor, they are probably the greatest pork product to ever have come out of mexico, and they are so easy to make at home, especially with this trick in your back pocket.
Most recipes you find for carnitas say you need lard to get that beautiful pork confit effect, but what if you don’t want to buy lard or can’t find any? I had the idea recently to use pork belly to make a self-confit carnitas and it worked out great.
This trick works because you cut everything up into 1″ cubes, which sounds like a lot of work, but with a sharp knife, it’s really fun. You could probably convince a butcher to do it for you as well. After that, you just scatter the pork belly up in between the shoulder and, as it cooks, the fat melts right off the belly and confits the pork.
Bonus: you end up with pork belly in your carnitas, and if that isn’t awesome, I don’t know what is. All the herbs and spices are optional, but they’re traditionally what’s included in hierbas de olor, aka Mexico’s bouquet garni, and it’s what sets this carnitas apart and makes it taste just like the good taqueria in town, especially the cinnamon.
People are always saying homemade sourdough is the ultimate quarantine food because it takes a lot of time and we all have a lot of time these days to hover around the kitchen. I disagree: traditional carnitas is actually the ultimate lockdown recipe. I made this on the stovetop and it was so perfect for lockdown. Just put it on the lowest heat and give it a stir every hour or so. Your whole house smells good, it gives you a reason to get up every so often, and something really magical happens between hour 4 and hour 6. You could also do this on the slow cooker, but why take that out if you don’t need to?
I thought this recipe would make carnitas tacos for days, but it was so good that they basically only lasted through lunch and dinner. We haven’t made it out to our local taqueria this year, and now it’s looking like it’s going to be even longer before we do, because between this and our birria taco recipe, we have our own little taqueria here.
Tips for the best tacos:
- Those little tortilla warmers they sell do a really good job warming up your tortilla, but since you have all this pork fat, why not dip the tortillas in pork fat and fry them up over a low flame?
- The best tacos are saucy and spicy, so pre-sauce your tacos before they land on the table. If you’re feeling lazy, aardvark sauce makes for a pretty darn amazing lazy salsa
- It’s better to pack more meat into fewer tacos than the other way around. Ignore the photos in this post. A good taco should be fat and happy, and doubled up on the tortilla.
The Best Stovetop Carnitas Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 6 hours hrs
Total Time 6 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless pork shoulder
- 1 lb boneless pork belly skinless optional
- 1 tbsp dried oregano mexican preferred
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 stick cinnamon
- juice of large orange about 1lb
Instructions
Cube your pork belly and pork shoulder, then season with salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. Toss to combine and mix well.
In a heavy pan able to snugly hold the meat (about 2qt), add 2 tbsp oil and saute the onions until golden and translucent. Add garlic and saute for another minute.
Add the meat, cinnamon, and orange juice. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Turn the heat all the way down as low as it will go. Cook, stirring once every hour or so, trying to keep the meat as flat and packed down as much as possible.
When the meat is done, remove the cinnamon stick and discard. To make tacos, crisp up the meat in a dry cast iron or nonstick skillet, then serve in doubled up warm tortillas with plenty of onions, cilantro, lime, and salsa.
Notes
Storage: you can save any extra carnitas in an airtight container in the fridge.
FAQs
Carnitas seasoning – rub pork with a simple spice mix of oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Flavour for cooking – top pork in slow cooker with onion, garlic and jalapeño, then pour over orange juice (the secret ingredient!).
Why do you put orange juice in carnitas? ›
The orange juice in the cooking liquid provides acidity that helps break down the meat so it's extra tender and juicy.
Why do you add milk to carnitas? ›
Adding the oranges is very much like braising pork Cuban-style for the traditional cubano sandwich. The milk acts as a tenderizer, a secret I learned while growing up watching dad make his carnitas which, by the way, were always exceptionally tender.
What is the best meat to use for carnitas? ›
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.
Should you sear carnitas before cooking? ›
Absolutely! Searing the meat before adding it to the slow cooker helps the meat to be even more flavorful and helps the texture of the meat to be much better. After seasoning the two pork tenderloins with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, you are going to want to sear them in olive oil.
What is the best oil for carnitas? ›
Vegetable oil: Traditional carnitas recipes use lard as their cooking fat, but we'll use vegetable or canola oil today.
Why do they add co*ke to carnitas? ›
This classic soda tenderizes pork shoulder, and classic carnitas spices like chili powder, cumin, and oregano add balance. After cooking until the pork is super tender, reduce the sauce until it makes a delicious glaze.
What does evaporated milk do to carnitas? ›
A surprising ingredient here, sweetened condensed milk, helps the pork caramelize during cooking. Source a well-marbled pork roast for this recipe; the extra fat doubles down on the rich pork flavor.
What juice keeps pulled pork moist? ›
If it is expected to be served within a few hours after smoking, it is better to store it in a crockpot set at the lowest possible temperature. Additionally, spray chicken broth or apple juice on the meat to prevent it from losing more moisture in the crockpot.
How do you fix bland carnitas? ›
To flavor carnitas all the way through, put them back in the braising liquid that has been reduced since cooking the pork. You can create a kind of glaze out of the braising liquid, and toss the shredded pork in that (defat the braising liquid before reducing it).
Yes, you could make carnitas using vegetable oil instead of lard.
Can you overcook carnitas? ›
Any cut of meat can become overcooked, even in the crockpot. Avoid cooking this pork carnitas recipe for longer than the times listed below, or the meat will end up tough and chewy.
What is the difference between pastor pork and carnitas? ›
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.
Is carnitas or al pastor better? ›
In short, if your goal is to prepare something yourself, carne al pastor is your best bet. It's easier to prepare than carnitas and just as flavorful. If, on the other hand, you are trying to decide what to order at El Pollo Norteno, the choice comes down to your personal preference.
How do you keep pork carnitas moist? ›
You'll see the pork slowly cooked in a big pot of lard in many authentic recipes (Woah and yum!). However, to make our carnitas recipe a little more home-friendly, we slow-cook our pork with a few aromatics and a few tablespoons of oil to keep it moist.
How do you keep carnitas from drying out? ›
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.
How do you make carnitas not dry? ›
Just go for water, then. Water and a touch of neutral flavoured vegetable oil or lard or suet if you have any of those. And don't overdo the water, just sprinkle a few spoonsful and keep the meat covered. Another alternative is to add a bit extra water and then cook off the water when you're ready to serve.
How do you spice up bland carnitas? ›
To spice up bland carnitas, try adding extra seasoning such as chili powder, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or diced jalapeños for a kick of heat. You can also experiment with different herbs and spices to tailor the flavor to your liking.
