Name: Carnitas: Braised and Fried Pork
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 2 hours
Yield: Enough for 8 main course servings, or enough for 24 to 32 tacos
Ingredients: 4 pounds fatty pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces; 3 cups water; 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced; 1/2 orange, cut into 2 pieces; 1/4 cup pork lard or vegetable oil; 8 garlic cloves, peeled; 3 bay leaves; 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk; 2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican, crumbled; 2 teaspoons fine salt, or 4 teaspoons kosher salt

Photo of pork carnitas recipe shown in a blue dutch oven with a wooden spoon.

Carnitas: Braised and Fried PorkRomulo Yanes

Editor's note: Chef Roberto Santibañez, the chef/owner of Fonda in Brooklyn, New York shared this recipe as part of a festive taco party menu he created for Epicurious. To make tacos, you'll also need 24 to 32 warm corn tortillas, 2 cups of salsa, chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. Santibañez recommends serving the tacos with Fresh Tomato Salsa , Roasted Pineapple Salsa , or Taco-Shop Guacamole, a blend of avocado and tomatillos.

Picture this: Mounds of juicy, tender, crispy-edged pieces of pork just waiting to be tucked into freshly made tortillas or piled on a plate along with rice and beans. This carnitas recipe is the classic way to make them—well, almost. Many restaurants and stalls put a whole butchered pig in a huge copper pot and let it simmer away until any liquid has evaporated. That's when the pork goes from being braised to being fried, browning in its own luscious fat. I do the same thing here, except I suggest using pork shoulder instead of the whole animal. And while the pork is traditionally browned on the stovetop, doing it in the oven is even easier and more effective. Pile the result on tortillas with salsa, chopped onions, and cilantro.

Note:

If you want to make half a batch, cut the amount of pork, salt, and oregano in half, but use the same amount of the remaining ingredients and water. You will need to use a slightly smaller pot.

Recipe information

Total Time
2 hours
Yield
Enough for 8 main course servings, or enough for 24 to 32 tacos

Ingredients

4 pounds fatty pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces

3 cups water

1 medium white onion, thinly sliced

1/2 orange, cut into 2 pieces

1/4 cup pork lard or vegetable oil

8 garlic cloves, peeled

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican, crumbled

2 teaspoons fine salt, or 4 teaspoons kosher salt

Preparation

Step 1
Put all the ingredients in a wide 6-to 7-quart heavy pot (don't worry if the pork is not completely covered) and bring the water to a boil, skimming the surface as necessary. Lower the heat and simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until the pork is fork-tender and the liquid has completely evaporated, 1½ to 2 hours. Discard the orange pieces and bay leaves. If the liquid hasn't evaporated after 2 hours, transfer the pork pieces to a bowl and let the liquid continue to bubble away, stirring often, until it has.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Transfer the pork and fat to an ovenproof dish, if necessary, and brown the pork, uncovered, in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes. There's no need to stir.
Step 3
Carnitas keeps in the refrigerator for up to three days.