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Lunch/Dinners

Michoacán-Style Pork Carnitas

TIME

3 h 30 min

DIFFICULTY

Medium

SERVINGS

4

CALORIES

469 kcal

CARBS

2.5 g

PROTEIN

40 g

FAT

32 g

Z Michoacán-Style Pork Carnitas

About this recipe

Michoacán-style carnitas are cooked slowly in pork lard until tender, then browned for crisp edges. This small-batch home version uses pork shoulder with orange peel, garlic, onion, and bay leaves; it follows the lard-cooking method while adapting the quantity for four people.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT

Slow cooking makes the pork tender and deeply savory. Orange peel, garlic, and bay gently perfume the lard. A quick final fry gives the meat crisp, golden edges.

Ingredients

  • 2 lb pork shoulder (907 g), cut into 2-inch chunks
  • About 5 cups fresh-rendered pork lard (1 qt + 1 cup / 1.2 L), enough to nearly cover the pork in a narrow heavy pot
  • 1¼ tsp kosher salt (about 7 g), or to taste
  • Peel from 1 orange, in wide strips, with the white pith removed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled
  • ½ small white onion, quartered

Preparation

  1. Pat the pork dry and season it evenly with the salt. Cut the orange peel into wide strips, avoiding the bitter white pith.
  2. Put the lard in a deep, heavy pot. Heat it gradually to about 200°F (93°C); use a thermometer and do not let the lard smoke.
  3. Carefully add the pork, orange peel, bay leaves, garlic, and onion. Keep the lard at a very gentle simmer, about 195–200°F (91–93°C), turning the pork occasionally.
  4. Cook until the pork is very tender, about 2½–3 hours. Check with a fork; cooking time varies with the size of the pieces and the pot.
  5. Lift the pork from the lard with a slotted spoon and drain it. Strain and reserve the lard for another use.
  6. For crisp edges, heat a small amount of the reserved lard to about 325°F (163°C). Brown the pork in batches for 1–2 minutes, turning carefully. Chop into bite-size pieces and serve hot.

Tips

Use a narrow, heavy pot so less lard is needed to nearly cover the pork.
Keep water away from hot lard and lower the meat into the pot carefully.
Chop the tender pork into pieces instead of finely shredding it.

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