Carnitas
Braised low in its own fat until tender, then crisped hot — two distinct textures from one cut.
Makes 6 servings · Prep 20 min · Bake 180 min
Ingredients
Meat
- 4 lb Pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
- 2 tsp Salt
Braise
- 1 Orange, halved
- 1 Onion, quartered
- 6 Garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 cup Lard or neutral oil
- 1 1/2 cups Water
Instructions
Prep
- Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Season the pork chunks with salt.
Braise
- Combine the pork, orange halves, onion, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, lard, and water in a heavy pot. Cover and braise until fully tender and shreddable. (Tip: The fat surrounding the meat here is doing the same job as a braising liquid, gently breaking down collagen over hours — this is essentially a confit, just called by a different name.)
Shred
- Remove the meat, discard the orange, onion, and bay leaves, and shred the pork with two forks. Reserve the fat and liquid left in the pot.
Crisp
- Heat a large skillet over high heat with a spoonful of the reserved fat. Working in batches, crisp portions of the shredded meat, pressing it into the pan, until browned and crispy at the edges. (Tip: Only crisp what you're about to serve — the rest can stay soft in the reserved liquid to keep it moist, and the contrast between the two textures is the actual point of carnitas.)
Tips
- Meat came out uniformly soft, no crisp bits: The final crisping stage was likely skipped or done at too low a heat. This is a genuinely separate step from the braise — a hot pan and direct pressure on the shredded meat is what creates the contrast.
- Don't discard the braising fat and liquid: It's full of flavour from the orange, garlic, and spices, and keeping unserved portions of meat moistened in it (rather than dry on a plate) keeps them from drying out before their turn to be crisped.