Homemade Carnitas: A Step-by-Step Guide That Ends in Horchata Ice Cream (2024)

FAQs

What is carnitas made of? ›

Carnitas — which means "little meats" in Spanish — is a Mexican pork dish. An inexpensive, heavily marbled cut of pork, such as boneless Boston butt, pork shoulder or picnic ham, is braised or simmered for several hours with seasonings and lard until it is so tender that is can be shredded.

In other regions of Mexico, people add their own special seasoning to this dish, such as condensed milk, garlic, chicken broth, co*ke, orange juice, and/or beer. Not only do these ingredients give the carnitas their distinctive golden-brownish color, but they also help tenderize the meat.

Up to 3 Days Ahead: Braise the Double-Pork Carnitas; cover and chill in the braising liquid and rendered fat. The flavor gets better with time.

Skip the chorizo, fried fish, and carnitas (fried pork or beef), which are higher in unhealthy saturated fat.

Pork shoulder: Traditionally, carnitas is made with pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) because of its higher fat content. The fat helps to keep the meat extremely juicy and tender while cooking.

In short, more than a food, carnitas was a form of community bonding until not so long ago. Mexicans love their carnitas so much, that it has become an important part of other dishes, particularly tortas ahogadas, or drowned tortas, a typical delicacy in the state of Jalisco.

Coca-Cola Carnitas es muy delicioso! The sugar in the soda helps to caramelize the meat, and whatever else they put in the cola gives it that slight smokiness. Or maybe it's the smoked paprika that gives the smokiness.

Why do you put orange juice in carnitas? The acidity of orange juice helps to break down the meat so it's meltingly tender and shreddable and adds flavor depth to the cooking liquid.

PORK CARNITAS TACOS

To make them into tacos, simply stuff the crisped meat into a corn or a fresh Flour Tortilla and add in chopped onion, cilantro, salsa, avocado and top with sour cream or crema fresca!

Carnitas doneness temps

The connective tissue needs to be heated to at least 170°F (77°C) to start to dissolve properly. If pulled at 145°F (63°C), pork shoulder will be inedibly tough. Most smoked pork shoulders are pulled in the temperature range of 195-205°F (91-96°C), and the same temperature will apply here.

Why did my carnitas come out dry? ›

Your carnitas may have come out dry by using the wrong cut of pork or overcooking. Follow these tips to ensure moist and tender carnitas: Use **pork butt instead of pork shoulder. Pork butt has more fat marbling throughout the meat so it stays juicier during cooking, whereas leaner cuts easily become dry.

The short answer to this common question is yes! Due to the ingredients and natural preservatives found in many pork products, it's entirely possible that your meat may still be slightly pink even when it's fully cooked. In fact, pork can even be enjoyed medium-rare.

“If you order tacos, opt for the crispy tacos and skip the rice and beans to lower the carb count,” Rose-Francis suggested. For meat eaters, she recommends either the chicken or the carnitas (braised and shredded pork shoulder).

Carnitas, literally meaning "little meats", in Mexican cuisine, is a dish made by braising, simmering and frying pork in its own fat, lard or cooking oil.

The flavor is so rich because the outside of the meat gets beautifully crispy while the inside is moist and tender. Juices and fats come together in rich, deep flavors that make carnitas unique, yet generally out of reach to the average home cook because of the way authentic carnitas is cooked.

Carnitas is made with pork that has been braised or slow-cooked until it's fork-tender. Carne asada is made with beef that has been grilled to perfection. Al pastor is made with pork that has been grilled and then sliced off the spit. All three of these dishes are delicious when topped with your favorite toppings.

2. Pick your favorite protein. There isn't a huge range of calories in this category—the lowest are steak and sofritas (both with 150 calories) and the highest is carnitas (210 calories). We say go ahead and order your favorite; however, keep an eye on the sodium content, which is pretty high in these ingredients.