Classic Michoacan Carnitas

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Carnitas are the crown jewel of Michoacan street food, made by slowly simmering pork in its own rendered fat with milk, orange juice, and aromatics until meltingly tender, then crisping the edges for the legendary caramelized bites known as 'doraditas.' This homestyle version recreates that confit-style magic in a Dutch oven, perfect for piling into warm corn tortillas with salsa verde and onions.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 720 kcalCalories
• 48 gFat
• 16 gSaturated Fat
• 3 gCarbs
• 0 gFiber
• 2 gSugar
• 58 gProtein
• 540 mgSodium
• 780 mgPotassium
• 70 mgCalcium
• 3.5 mgIron
• 8 mgVitamin C
• 18 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the pork

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) bone-in pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1/2 lb (225 g) pork belly, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 tbsp lard or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)

Aromatics

• 8 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 medium white onion, quartered
• 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 2 bay leaves (laurel)
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns

To serve

• 12 warm corn tortillas
• 1 small white onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup salsa verde
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Pat the pork shoulder and belly chunks very dry with paper towels, then season evenly with the kosher salt; let stand 15 minutes at room temperature while you prep the aromatics.
2. Heat the lard in a heavy 6-quart Dutch oven or traditional copper pot over medium-high until shimmering. Working in batches, sear the pork on all sides until lightly golden, about 8 to 10 minutes per batch, transferring seared pieces to a plate as you go.
3. Return all the pork and any juices to the pot and add the garlic, onion, oregano, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Pour in the milk and orange juice, then add enough water to barely cover the meat (about 1 cup).
4. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, skimming any foam that rises. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting, cover, and simmer undisturbed for 2 hours, until the pork is fork-tender and the milk-orange broth has turned a milky caramel color.
5. Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium. Continue cooking, stirring gently every 10 minutes, for 30 to 45 minutes more, until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the pork is sizzling in its own rendered fat.
6. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to press the chunks gently against the hot sides of the pot so the edges turn deep golden and crispy – these 'doraditas' are the soul of the dish. Taste and adjust salt.
7. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, let rest 5 minutes, then coarsely chop or shred to your preference. Skim off excess fat from the pot and reserve the rich cracklings to stir back in.
8. Pile the carnitas into a warm bowl, spoon over a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking fat and cracklings, and serve immediately with the tortillas, diced onion, cilantro, salsa verde, and lime wedges for DIY tacos.

Cook’s Notes

• A heavy copper 'olla de cobre' is the traditional vessel, but any heavy Dutch oven works beautifully; avoid thin aluminum pots which scorch the milk.
• Resist the urge to stir during the long simmer – leaving the pork undisturbed lets it poach gently and prevents the meat from falling apart too early.
• Save the rendered pork fat (called 'manteca') strained through a fine sieve – it is liquid gold for frying eggs, roasting potatoes, or making another batch.
• For a slightly sweeter, more pronounced orange note, add the wide strips of peel from one of the oranges during the last hour of simmering and fish them out before crisping.
• Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 4 days; reheat in a hot dry skillet with a splash of water to restore the crispy edges.

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