Traditional Carnitas
Traditional Carnitas
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pork shoulder butt roast, cut into 3 inch pieces
- 2 pounds lard
- 8 fluid ounces Mexican coke
- 1 onion, peeled and halved or quartered
- 1 head of garlic, peeled, cloves separated
- 1 orange, halved
- 5 teaspoons salt, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- 1
Place a large pot or Dutch oven on the stovetop. Add the 2 pounds of lard to the pot and turn on the heat to melt it.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Once the lard is fully melted and hot, carefully add the 4 to 5 pounds of pork shoulder butt roast pieces (cut into 3 inch pieces) to the pot. Brown the pork in batches until golden brown on all sides. This step may take 20-30 minutes depending on your stovetop and pot size.
⏱️ 25 min
- 3
After browning the pork, add the remaining ingredients to the pot: the whole onion (peeled and halved or quartered), the whole head of garlic (peeled, cloves separated), the whole orange (halved), the 8 fluid ounces of Mexican coke, the mixture of 5 teaspoons salt dissolved in 1/2 cup water, and the 3 bay leaves.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Stir all the ingredients together in the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Cover the pot and let it simmer for 2 hours.
⏱️ 120 min
- 6
After 2 hours, remove the lid and continue to simmer for an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the carnitas begin to crisp up and turn golden brown.
⏱️ 90 min
- 7
Once done, remove the carnitas from the pot. Shred the meat using two forks.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Serve the carnitas immediately, for example, on tortillas with desired toppings.
Kitchen Tools
Traditional Carnitas
- 4 pounds pork shoulder butt roast, cut into 3 inch pieces
- 2 pounds lard
- 8 fluid ounces Mexican coke
- 1 onion, peeled and halved or quartered
- 1 head of garlic, peeled, cloves separated
- 1 orange, halved
- 5 teaspoons salt, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- 1
Place a large pot or Dutch oven on the stovetop. Add the 2 pounds of lard to the pot and turn on the heat to melt it.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Once the lard is fully melted and hot, carefully add the 4 to 5 pounds of pork shoulder butt roast pieces (cut into 3 inch pieces) to the pot. Brown the pork in batches until golden brown on all sides. This step may take 20-30 minutes depending on your stovetop and pot size.
⏱️ 25 min - 3
After browning the pork, add the remaining ingredients to the pot: the whole onion (peeled and halved or quartered), the whole head of garlic (peeled, cloves separated), the whole orange (halved), the 8 fluid ounces of Mexican coke, the mixture of 5 teaspoons salt dissolved in 1/2 cup water, and the 3 bay leaves.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Stir all the ingredients together in the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Cover the pot and let it simmer for 2 hours.
⏱️ 120 min - 6
After 2 hours, remove the lid and continue to simmer for an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the carnitas begin to crisp up and turn golden brown.
⏱️ 90 min - 7
Once done, remove the carnitas from the pot. Shred the meat using two forks.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Serve the carnitas immediately, for example, on tortillas with desired toppings.