Michoacán-Style Carnitas — Crispy Braised Pork
Pork shoulder slow-braised in its own rendered fat with orange, cinnamon, and herbs until impossibly tender, then crisped under the broiler until the edges shatter like glass. These Michoacán carnitas are the gold standard of taco fillings — succulent inside, crackling outside.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs boneless pork shoulder (butt), cut into 3-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 orange, quartered
+ 11 more ingredients
Instructions
Season the pork chunks generously on all sides with salt, pepper, and cumin. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Place the seasoned pork in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep pot. Squeeze the orange quarters and lime halves over the meat, then toss the squeezed citrus right into the pot.
Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, oregano, milk, water, and lard. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat — do not submerge it completely.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook uncovered for 2 hours, turning the pork pieces every 30 minutes. The liquid will slowly evaporate and the pork will begin to fry in its own rendered fat.
Continue cooking for another 30-60 minutes, carefully turning the pieces as needed, until the liquid has completely evaporated, the pork is fork-tender, and the pieces are frying and turning golden-brown in the remaining fat.
For extra crispiness, transfer the pork to a foil-lined baking sheet. Shred into large, rustic chunks (not too fine). Broil on high for 3-5 minutes, watching closely, until the edges are deeply caramelized and crispy.
Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick from the pot. Drizzle a few spoonfuls of the remaining fat and browned bits over the crisped meat.
Serve immediately on warm corn tortillas with diced onion, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and salsa verde.
Nutrition Estimate
Per serving • Estimated by Blinner AI