How to Prepare Tasty Carnitas

Carnitas. Many find carnitas a little dry or flavorless. These have a great, distinctive flavor and are requested by friends and family over and over. Serve with warm, fresh tortillas and salsa.

Arrange the pork on the grate and top with the onion and garlic. Carnitas -- which means "little meats" in Spanish -- is a Mexican pork dish. An inexpensive, heavily marbled cut of pork, such as boneless Boston butt, pork shoulder or picnic ham, is braised or simmered for several hours with seasonings and lard until it is so tender that is can be shredded. You can cook Carnitas using 12 ingredients and 9 steps. Here is how you cook it.

Ingredients of Carnitas

1. You need 3 of Lbs. Pork Shoulder.
2. Prepare 1 of Small Onion Quartered.
3. Prepare 1 of Orange Quartered.
4. It's 4 Cloves of Garlic Halved.
5. It's 1 of Cinnamon Stick, Broken Into 3-4 Pieces.
6. You need 2 of Bay Leaves.
7. Prepare 1 Tbs. of Salt.
8. You need 1/4 Cup of Of Vegetable Oil (Or Lard).
9. You need of Optional Rub Seasonings.
10. You need 1 Tbsp of Dried Oregano.
11. It's 2-3 tsp of Ground Cumin.
12. You need 1 tsp of Black Pepper.

Carnitas originated in the state of Michoacan of Mexico, and in its most original and authentic form, is pork meat…fried in pork fat. These days, the famous Mexican dish is looking a little different in most kitchens, and the world's cholesterol levels are all too thankful for it. Mexican Carnitas Ever hear of carnitas? They're easy-to-make pork crisps that are very popular in Mexico.

Carnitas step by step

1. Adjust oven rack to center position. Preheat oven to 275° F..
2. Quarter Onion.
3. Season Pork with the 1Tbs. of Salt, and cut into 2" Chunks. Place Pork into a 9x13 Casserole Dish. The Pork should fill dish with no spaces..
4. Quarter Orange and squeeze juice over Pork. Nestle Orange pieces into casserole. Add Onions Quarters, 4 Cloves halved Garlic, Bay Leaves, and Cinnamon Sticks pieces. Nestle all evenly in one layer..
5. Pour Vegetable Oil all over surface. Cover with foil and Cook until fork tender, about 3 1/2 Hours..
6. Set a fine mesh strainer over 1 quart measuring bowl. Use tongs to remove Orange Peel, Onion, Garlic, Cinnamon Sticks, and Bay Leaves. Transfer Pork into strainer along with liquid. Let drain for 10 minutes..
7. Transfer Pork back into casserole dish. You should have about 1/2 Cup of liquid and 1/2 Cup fat. Using a flat spoon, skim fat and add it back to pork. Shred Pork into large chunks. Season to taste with more salt if needed..
8. To serve, place casserole dish with Pork under a high broiler and broil until brown and crisp on surface. About 6 minutes. Remove Pork, stir to expose new bits to heat. Broil again for 6 more minutes. Tent with foil to keep warm before serving..
9. Enjoy..

The secret to this recipe is the quick frying. It's basically crispy, savory chunks of tender pork. They are particularly great for filling tacos and burritos. Pork carnitas—Mexican braised and fried pork chunks with their addictively crisp edges—were unfamiliar to me until I tried this recipe. Which is weird, because I love pork and I love Mexican food, but never the twain had met in the gloriousness that is carnitas.