Recipe: Duck Fat Carnitas from Chef CJ Callahan (2024)

August 07, 2023

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A NOTE FROM CHEF CALLAHAN:

Carnitas, or 'little meats,' are a staple in Mexican cuisine. There are various cooking techniques, depending on where you're eating them. For the most part, carnitas are braised, slow roasted, or stewed in lard. At Dos Gordos we do them a little bit differently. We use two types of fat to cook ours — pork fat and the difference maker, rendered duck fat. (Hence the name, "Dos Gordos," which literally means "two fats.") Duck fat can be found at most grocery stores.

This is a super easy recipe, and carnitas can be eaten in tacos, burritos, on nachos, or with eggs. All they need is your favorite hot sauce and some good cherry tomato pico de gallo. I like to cure the pork overnight, but in a pinch it can just be generously seasoned.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 5 pounds pork butt or shoulder, cut into 3 inch cubes
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup ground black pepper
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 orange, halved
  • 1 white onion, halved
  • 4 cups duck fat, pork fat, bacon fat, or whatever fat you want to cover the pork
  • Cheese cloth

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DIRECTIONS:

  1. Combine the salt, sugar, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl.
  2. Toss the cubed pork into the bowl and mix around just enough to have the cure stick to the pork. Place in a pan and refrigerate overnight.
  3. Melt fat in a large pot. Cut your orange in half and squeeze the juice into the fat. Place cinnamon, bay leaf, orange and onion in cheesecloth and wrap up into a sachet.
  4. Add cured pork to the fat, along with your flavorful sachet.
  5. Bring fat and pork to a little roll and turn down to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 2½ hours.
  6. After 2½ hours, increase the heat slightly to brown the pork a little and finish cooking for another 1½ hours or until the pork is completely tender.
  7. Remove the pork from the fat and serve how you wish.

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CHEF'S NOTE: "I recommend a hot sauce — as spicy as you can handle — to cut into the fattiness of the pork and the brightness of the pico. We use a salsa de arbol."

— RECIPE COURTESY OF DOS GORDOS CHEF CJ CALLAHAN

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Recipe: Duck Fat Carnitas from Chef CJ Callahan (2024)

FAQs

How many people does 1 pound of carnitas feed? ›

Carnitas 1 lb Cooked(6-8 servings) - Menu Ordering - Tuesdays Street Tacos & Burritos - Mexican Restaurant in Columbus, GA.

Can carnitas be made ahead of time? ›

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.

How to moisten carnitas? ›

How do I moisten dry pork carnitas? So simple. Add the pork broth that you cooked the carnitas in initially and let it sit at least 20-30 minutes.

What temperature is pork carnitas done? ›

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.

How long is carnitas good for in the fridge? ›

Since the meat is well seasoned and quite fatty, it also lasts quite a long time and freezes well: You can store it in the fridge for at least three days before the final crisping step, or in the freezer for several months.

What cut of meat for carnitas? ›

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.

How to add more flavor to carnitas? ›

Pork Carnitas Seasoning

Pork shoulder is extra flavorful thanks to kosher salt, a chopped onion, fresh garlic, lime juice, chili powder, dried oregano, and ground cumin.

Why do you add milk to carnitas? ›

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.

Why do you put orange juice in carnitas? ›

Juice: Using a combination of orange juice and lime juice helps break down the meat, which makes the most incredibly tender and delicious carnitas. It also adds a lovely bright flavor.

Do I trim the fat for carnitas? ›

Traditional Carnitas

Trim away some of the excess fat from the pork butt, then cut it into 3-inch chunks.

Should carnitas be pink inside? ›

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.

Should you sear carnitas before cooking? ›

Absolutely! Searing the meat before adding it to the slow cooker helps the meat to be even more flavorful and helps the texture of the meat to be much better. After seasoning the two pork tenderloins with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, you are going to want to sear them in olive oil.

How many people can 1 lb of pulled pork feed? ›

Aside from the usual favorites like grilled hamburgers and tenderloin pork, pulled pork has become a staple in many cookouts and other events. First rule: 1 pound of cooked pulled pork is enough to feed 3 people. This means that about 1/3 of a pound (or 5 ounces) is good for one serving.

How many tacos will 1lb of meat make? ›

How much ground beef per taco? Each taco shell or small soft taco-size tortilla fits about 2 ounces or 1/4 cup of meat. If you add diced onions, you could stretch a pound of ground beef to make about a dozen tacos. With just the meat and spices, you can make about 8 tacos from a pound of meat.

How much is a serving of carnitas? ›

Meal Components/Meat - Chipotle
Nutrition Facts
For a Serving Size of 4 oz (112g)
How many calories are in Carnitas? Amount of calories in Carnitas: Calories 227Calories from Fat 108 (47.6%)
% Daily Value *
How much fat is in Carnitas? Amount of fat in Carnitas: Total Fat 12g-
15 more rows

How much taco meat to feed 20 people? ›

For instance, plan for about 3-4 ounces of ground beef taco meat per person, which means a pound of ground beef can feed roughly four people. Use a similar scale when shopping for other proteins, and remember, it's easier to have a little extra at the end of the party than to run out of food for your guests!

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