| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 3 hr |
| Active: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 4 chile de arbol
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small stick canela or 1/2 cassia cinnamon stick (see Cook’s Note)
- 1 head garlic, halved lengthwise
- 1/2 large white onion
- 1/4 large naval orange
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- 1 pound pork belly, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- Kosher salt
- Warm corn tortillas, chopped cilantro, chopped white onion, lime wedges and salsa verde, for serving
- Pico de Gallo, recipe follows, for serving
- 2 large vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 2 serrano chiles, finely chopped (seeded if you prefer mild heat)
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 1/4 medium white onion, chopped
- 1/3 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more if needed
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the oregano, peppercorns, chiles, bay leaf, canela, garlic, onion and orange in the center of a 1-foot square piece of cheesecloth. Gather up the edges and tie with kitchen twine to secure the aromatics inside the sachet.
- Place the sachet, pork shoulder, pork belly, stock, brown sugar and 4 teaspoons salt in a large heavy pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the pork is tender and shreds easily, about 2 hours.
- Remove and discard the sachet. Transfer the pork shoulder to a rimmed baking sheet.
- Increase the heat to high and continue cooking the pork belly until only the fat remains and the pan juices are completely evaporated, about 15 minutes. Carefully transfer the pork shoulder back to the pot (it’s ok if it breaks apart) and fry it in the rendered fat, turning occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot, until browned on all sides and just beginning to crisp, 10 to 15 minutes; the shoulder will start to shred and that’s ok. Most of the pieces should be bite-size with some smaller shredded and super-crisp bits in the mix. Transfer the carnitas with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.
- Serve the carnitas with tortillas, cilantro, onions, limes, salsa verde and pico de gallo.
- Gently stir the tomatoes, chiles, garlic, onions, cilantro and lime juice in a medium bowl until completely combined. Taste and season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and more lime juice if needed. Let the pico sit uncovered to let the flavors meld, about 10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 20 servings |
| Calories | 304 |
| Total Fat | 25 g |
| Saturated Fat | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 5 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Protein | 15 g |
| Cholesterol | 65 mg |
| Sodium | 334 mg |
Reviews
The flavor is excellent, fairly easy just a little time consuming but soooo worth it.
This is the best, most interesting flavored recipe for carnitas that I have tried. It’s also really easy. I frequently have to use bacon, instead of pork belly. Depending on the bacon, it adds a smoky flavor which you might not care for.
Also, be aware that the crisping part at the end of the recipe is absolutely going to cause heavy sticking on your Dutch oven. It will require some soaking and elbow grease to clean…buts it’s well worth it.
This is my husband’s new favorite recipe. It was fun to make, the directions are clear, and the flavors are incredible. We’ve loved every Rich Martinez recipe, and this is our #1 choice. I’m heading to the store for ingredients now…
Oh man this was awesome. My wife literally said it was like restaurant tacos. I used bone in pork butt because it was what I had. The pork belly really makes this amazing. Can’t wait to eat left overs and make this again.
I wouldn’t change a thing. The really do taste authentic.