Mexican recipe

Carnitas

Name: Carnitas
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 2 h 5 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Mexican cuisine
Ingredients: 2000 g pork shoulder with some fat, cut into large chunks; 250 g pork belly, cut into chunks; 180 g white onion; 6 garlic cloves; 2 bay leaves; 2 g dried thyme; 2 g dried marjoram; 2 g black pepper; 4 whole cloves; 240 ml fresh orange juice; 700 ml water; 30 g lard; 16 g fine salt; 18 small corn tortillas

Large pork pieces simmered slowly with aromatics and citrus until tender, then allowed to fry in their rendered fat for crisp bronze edges while staying juicy inside.

Michoacán

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 2 hr 5 min
Total: 2 hr 30 min
Servings: 8

Ingredients

2000 g
pork shoulder with some fat, cut into large chunks
250 g
pork belly, cut into chunks
180 g
white onion
6
garlic cloves
2
bay leaves
2 g
dried thyme
2 g
dried marjoram
2 g
black pepper
4
whole cloves
240 ml
fresh orange juice
700 ml
water
30 g
lard
16 g
fine salt
18
small corn tortillas

Method

01
Blend the aromatic base
Blend the onion, garlic, thyme, marjoram, pepper, cloves, half the salt and 250 ml water until smooth.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
02
Heat the lard
Melt the lard in a wide heavy pot over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
03
Brown the pork lightly
Add the shoulder and belly in a single layer and brown for 8 minutes, turning to colour several sides without trying to crisp them yet.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
04
Add the aromatic liquid
Pour in the blended aromatic base, orange juice, remaining water and bay leaves; the liquid should come most of the way up the pork.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
05
Simmer slowly
Bring to a gentle simmer, lower the heat and cook uncovered for 75 minutes, turning the pork occasionally.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
06
Let the liquid reduce away
Continue cooking for 20–25 minutes as the water evaporates and the rendered fat becomes more visible around the tender pork.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
07
Fry in the rendered fat
Raise the heat to medium and let the pork fry in its own fat for 12–15 minutes, turning carefully until the edges are bronze and crisp.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
08
Drain without drying out
Lift the carnitas with a slotted spoon and rest for 5 minutes, letting excess fat drip away while the interiors stay juicy.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
09
Break into serving pieces
Pull the pork into large bite-size pieces, mixing crisp edges with softer interior meat rather than shredding it finely.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
10
Warm tortillas and serve
Warm the tortillas for about 30 seconds per side on a dry comal and serve with the hot carnitas and salsa or pickled chiles.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph

Practical notes

Tips

Build colour in the early stages, then keep the finished pot at a gentle simmer so meat stays tender and starches do not catch.
Taste for salt only after smoked meat, stock and reducing liquid have contributed their seasoning.

Common mistakes

A hard boil can toughen meat and reduce the liquid before the flavours have time to meld.
Letting a thick chile sauce sit unstirred over direct heat can scorch the bottom quickly and turn the whole pot bitter.

Substitutions

Use unsalted or low-sodium stock when possible so you can control seasoning after chiles, roasted vegetables and reduced cooking liquid have concentrated.
If the exact dried chile is unavailable, choose another Mexican dried chile with similar heat and fruitiness; the dish will remain workable but its regional flavour will shift.

Storage

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours at 0–4°C for up to 3 days. Reheat only the portion needed until piping hot throughout.

Cultural context

Carnitas are especially associated with Michoacán, where pork is traditionally cooked in large copper cazos; different cuts and textures are prized and often ordered specifically at carnitas stands.

Sources and photo credit

This standardized method was independently rewritten after cross-checking the references below. Recipe Nest Vault does not claim that the credited photographer cooked from this exact version.

Recipe references

Carnitas in Mexico — Photograph by Tomascastelazo; CC BY-SA 4.0.

Step illustrations: Original illustrations created by Recipe Nest Vault with OpenAI image_gen.

Back to Mexican recipes

Carnitas

Ingredients

Method

Blend the aromatic base

Heat the lard

Brown the pork lightly

Add the aromatic liquid

Simmer slowly

Let the liquid reduce away

Fry in the rendered fat

Drain without drying out

Break into serving pieces

Warm tortillas and serve

Sources and photo credit

Recipe references

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