Pork Carnitas

pork carnitas From 'The Road to Mexico' by Rick Stein

This tender pork has a melt-in-the-mouth feeling which compliments well with the salsa. And for an added east-meets-west feeling, why not try eating it with a topping of Korean kimchi?


Ingredients:

  • 1kg boned pork shoulder, cut into 6cm chunks
  • ½ medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 250g lard
  • 125ml whole milk
  • 125ml fresh orange juice
  • 20 x 15cm corn tortillas
    • For Garnish
  • Handful coriander, roughly chopped
  • Handful radishes, sliced
  • ½ medium onion, chopped
  • 2 limes, cut into wedges
  • Your favourite salsa

Recipe:

  1. Put the diced pork in a casserole dish with the onion, garlic, oregano, salt, lard, milk, and orange juice. Cover the dish and simmer for about 45 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for a further 1¼ hours until the meat is meltingly tender.
  2. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and pull the meat apart with 2 forks.
  3. Continue to simmer the juices until the liquid has all but evaporated. The fat will have separated and will be sitting on the top so you can ladle it out to use again for cooking more Carnitas, or other Mexican dishes like Refried Beans.
  4. Scrape all the solids from the bottom of the pan and pour the reduced juices and solids over the shredded pork.
  5. Stir to combine.
  6. Spoon the combined pork onto tortillas and garnish with the onion, radishes, coriander, lime, and salsa to serve.