Carnitas
Pork shoulder braised slowly in lard and orange juice until meltingly tender, then fried in its own fat until browned and crisp at the edges.
Method
- 1
Season the pork all over with the salt, cumin and oregano.
- 2
Melt the lard in the casserole over medium-high heat and add the pork, onion, garlic and bay leaves.
- 3
Pour in the orange juice and water, drop in the squeezed orange halves and bring to a simmer.
- 4
Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer gently, stirring now and then, until the pork is very tender.
- 5
Remove the lid and lift out the orange halves, onion and bay leaves.
- 6
Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the pork starts to sizzle in its fat.
- 7
Keep cooking, turning the pieces only now and then, until they are browned and crisp on several sides.
- 8
Break the pork into rough chunks with tongs, leaving some pieces larger for texture.
- 9
Warm the tortillas in a dry pan and stack them in a folded tea towel.
- 10
Serve the carnitas with the tortillas, chopped onion, coriander, lime wedges and your favourite salsa.
Notes
- For extra crunch, spread the cooked pork on a tray and put it under a hot grill for a few minutes.
- Leftovers reheat best in a dry frying pan, where they crisp up again.
- Vegetable oil can replace the lard, but lard gives the richest flavour.
Equipment
Large heavy casserole with a lid, Tongs, Frying pan for the tortillas, Clean tea towel