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Pork Carnita

Authentic Pork Carnita Tacos

Print Recipe
CourseMain Course
CuisineMexican
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 hours

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds fatty pork shoulder cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 medium white onion thinly sliced
  • 1 orange cut into 4 pieces
  • 1/4 cup pork lard or vegetable oil
  • 8 garlic cloves peeled
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano preferably Mexican, crumbled
  • 2 teaspoons fine salt or 4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 whole jalapeno
  • 2 tablespoons orange marmalade

Instructions

  • Put all the ingredients in a wide 6-to 7-quart heavy pot (don't worry if the pork is not completely covered with water) and bring to a boil, skimming the surface as necessary. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until the pork is fork-tender, about 1½ to 2 hours. Discard the orange pieces and bay leaves. Transfer the pork pieces to a bowl, cover, and let the liquid continue to reduce, about 10 minutes.
    Pork Carnitas
  • Preheat the oven to 450°F. Transfer the pork and fat to an ovenproof dish, if necessary, and brown the pork, uncovered, in the oven for about 20 minutes. There's no need to stir.