Carnitas
Carnitas
Pork cooked in its own fat until it shreds and the edges crisp — Michoacán's taco filling, not a dry roast.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Carnitas.
0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 3 hr 30 min
- Total
- 3 hr 50 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- A bit special$16–28 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Carnitas are pork shoulder (and ideally a bit of skin) simmered in lard or in its own juices with orange and a little milk until fork-tender, then fried in the remaining fat so the edges lacquer. Home ovens can braise then broil. It should be juicy and a little sweet, not pulled-pork barbecue.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Salt the pork. Pack into a pot with onion, garlic, orange, oregano and a splash of water or milk. Cover and cook in a 150°C oven 3 hours until collapsing.
180 minStep 2
Shred. Spread on a tray with some of the fat and juices. Grill or fry until the edges crisp, 8–10 minutes.
10 minStep 3
Tortillas, onion, coriander, lime, salsa.
Adapt this recipe
The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.
Substitutions
Orange → A splash of orange juice
The peel is doing aromatic work. Keep it if you can.
Tips
- A real copper pot of lard is the market method. The oven braise is the apartment method.
- Do not drain all the fat. That is the flavour.
History & culture
Michoacán copper pots, market tacos, and the weekend project that becomes Tuesday quesadillas.
Confit-style pork in New Spain. Orange and condensed-milk tricks are later home and taqueria moves.
Regional variation
Provenance: Editorial adaptation. Original editorial adaptation for I Want Some Food. Not copied from another recipe site. Official recipe photography is pending. Photograph: Tomascastelazo via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carnitas%20in%20Mexico.jpg
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.
How long does Carnitas take?
3 hr 50 min all in — 20 min prep, 3 hr 30 min cook. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 8 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free, Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
A bit special — about $16–28 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Dutch oven, Oven.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 2 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Orange → A splash of orange juice. The peel is doing aromatic work. Keep it if you can.
Any tips from this recipe?
A real copper pot of lard is the market method. The oven braise is the apartment method. Do not drain all the fat. That is the flavour.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
Similar dishes
Tacos al pastor
Tacos al pastor
Mexico City pork tacos with achiote, chilli and pineapple — shawarma technique that became something entirely Mexican.
3 hr 10 minMedium🌶️🌶️
Pozole
Pozole
A feast soup of nixtamal corn and pork — red, white or green — that you finish at the table with radish, cabbage and lime.
2 hr 25 minMedium🌶️🌶️
Quesadilla
Quesadilla
A tortilla folded on cheese on a hot comal — Mexico City may put no cheese in some, but this one does.
13 minVery easyNo chilli