Carnitas, a traditional Mexican dish, is a delectable pork dish that has gained immense popularity worldwide. Originating from the state of Michoacán, carnitas, meaning "little meats," is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed in various forms, from tacos to burritos and enchiladas. This article presents a collection of three unique carnitas recipes that cater to different preferences and skill levels.
The first recipe, "Carnitas Michoacanas," takes you on a culinary journey to the heart of Michoacán, where carnitas originated. This classic recipe uses pork shoulder slow-cooked in lard until tender and flavorful. The second recipe, "Carnitas en Salsa Verde," adds a tangy twist to the traditional dish by simmering the carnitas in a flavorful green salsa made from tomatillos, jalapeños, and cilantro. Lastly, the "Carnitas en Adobo" recipe introduces a rich and aromatic adobo sauce, made from a blend of guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chiles, to create a flavorful and succulent carnitas dish.
Each recipe provides step-by-step instructions, ingredient lists, and cooking times to ensure a successful culinary experience. Whether you're a seasoned cook or just starting, this article has a carnitas recipe that will tantalize your taste buds and transport you to the vibrant streets of Mexico. So, gather your ingredients, prepare your kitchen, and embark on a flavorful adventure with these three mouthwatering carnitas recipes.
SLOW COOKER CARNITAS RECIPE BY TASTY
Have you ever gone out for Mexican food, eaten carnitas, and thought "gosh, I wish I could make this myself"? Well, you can with the help of your slow cooker. Just add pork butt or shoulder to a slow cooker with citrus juice, garlic, onion, and some spices, then let it cook for about eight hours until it's tender and easy to shred with a fork. Then, you can enjoy your home-cooked carnitas in tacos, burritos, or on top of your favourite grains.
Provided by Scott Loitsch
Categories Dinner
Time 8h10m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Cut pork into 6 equal pieces. Add it to the slow cooker.
- Add salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic, onion, bay leaves, lime juice and juice the orange. Add orange to the cooker as well. Mix together until the meat is well-coated.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the meat pulls apart easily.
- Remove the pork and transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Shred the pork and spread across the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Pour about 1 cup (235 ml) of the liquid remaining in the slow cooker over the shredded pork. Broil for 5-10 minutes until the meat browns and crisps along the edges.
- Serve immediately. Great as a filling in tacos, burritos, salads, or nachos!
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 810 calories, Carbohydrate 23 grams, Fat 48 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 72 grams, Sugar 5 grams
SLOW-COOKED CARNITAS
Simmer up succulent pork the slow-cooker way. Sometimes, instead of using tortillas, I put the seasoned meat on top of shredded lettuce for a tasty salad. -Lisa Glogow, Aliso Viejo, California
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 6h20m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Cut roast in half; place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Sprinkle with the garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Add the onions, cilantro, salsa, broth, tequila and chiles. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender. , Remove meat; cool slightly. Shred with 2 forks and return to the slow cooker; heat through. Spoon about 2/3 cup meat mixture onto each tortilla; serve with toppings of your choice.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 363 calories, Fat 15g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 67mg cholesterol, Sodium 615mg sodium, Carbohydrate 28g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 24g protein.
PORK CARNITAS
Many find carnitas a little dry or flavorless. These have a great, distinctive flavor and are requested by friends and family over and over. Serve with warm, fresh tortillas and salsa.
Provided by Nette
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 3h45m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the pork shoulder with salt, then arrange the pork in the Dutch oven. Cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Pour in the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue to simmer until pork is very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Transfer the pork shoulder to a large baking sheet, reserving the cooking liquid. Drizzle with a small amount of the reserved cooking liquid and lightly season with salt.
- Bake the pork in the preheated oven until browned, about 30 minutes. Drizzle more of the cooking liquid on the meat every 10 minutes, and use two forks to shred the meat as it browns.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 249.8 calories, Carbohydrate 2.3 g, Cholesterol 62.5 mg, Fat 19.1 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 16.2 g, SaturatedFat 5.9 g, Sodium 2072.3 mg, Sugar 1.1 g
CARNITAS
It does not get any better than slow-roasted carnitas. This recipe differs slightly from what may be served in Old Mexico. Traditional carnitas are cooked in lard, pulled from the oil, chopped, and served directly in tacos and such. This versatile dish is one of our most requested at Salsa Brava. It can be served in tacos, burritos, omelets, or just about anything else you can imagine. We use free-range pork-no hormones, no antibiotics. Our choice for cut of meat is the pork butt. (Not to be confused with the actual pig's butt.) The pork butt is actually a shoulder cut, and it can be purchased with bone-in or out. The bone found in the butt is the clavicle, and any butcher can remove it, if preferred.
Provided by Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 3h10m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Sprinkle the pork with the seasoned salt.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Put a roasting grate at the bottom of a roasting pan and pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pan along with the liquid smoke. Arrange the pork on the grate and top with the onion and garlic. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil.
- Bake for 2 hours, then remove the cover and bake until the pork is fork-tender, about 1 more hour.
- When cooked through, transfer the pork to a large bowl. Shred the meat and stir in the pan juices. Serve with warm tortillas or use when making tacos, tamales, etc.
PORK CARNITAS RECIPE
Pork Carnitas are pieces of pork meat slow-cooked in copper cauldrons on an open fire. Here I will show you two different and easy ways to make your carnitas at home. The result is a juicy and tender pieces of meat with golden and crispy outer skin carnitas. Perfect for carnitas tacos or in a torta.
Provided by Mely Martínez
Categories Pork
Time 55m
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- In a large Dutch oven or Cast Iron Pot place the pork, lard, water, garlic, and salt. Cook covered on a medium heat to a boil. Reduce to simmer for about 45 minutes until pork is almost tender.
- Uncover and turn the heat to medium high to reduce the liquid.The meat will start frying in its own fat and lard at this point. Carefully brown the meat at medium low heat stirring frequently until pork is evenly browned. About 15 to 20 minutes. At this point do not over cook or you will get very dry meat.
- Serve with hot tortillas and green salsa.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 4 oz, Calories 277 kcal, Protein 28 g, Fat 17 g, SaturatedFat 10 g, Cholesterol 90 mg, Sodium 1261 mg
SIMPLE CARNITAS
This the easiest recipe for tasty carnitas. Once cooked, the meat can also be shredded and mixed with BBQ sauce for incredible pulled pork sandwiches, or pan fried in a little oil until crisp on the outside.
Provided by Ken from CA
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 3h
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Place the pork shoulder, oranges, onion, garlic, kosher salt, cumin, black peppercorns, and bay leaves into a large Dutch oven. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Skim off any foam that rises to the top. Cover loosely, and simmer until the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Allow the pork to cool, covered, in the broth for 1 hour. Shred the meat with two forks.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 187.9 calories, Carbohydrate 6.6 g, Cholesterol 62.5 mg, Fat 9.6 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 18.4 g, SaturatedFat 3.4 g, Sodium 2331.5 mg, Sugar 3.8 g
CARNITAS
Carnitas (or "little meats") are a traditional Mexican dish of cubed pork shoulder braised with spices and citrus until tender. Fresh orange, crushed garlic, earthy oregano and aromatic cinnamon and bay leaf create a rich and fragrant braising liquid that imparts its savory flavors into the pork as it cooks. There's very little hands-on work involved, and the carnitas can be made a day ahead. Store the pork in the liquid overnight, then gently reheat before serving. A final finish under the broiler creates a golden, crispy exterior on the meat.
Provided by Kay Chun
Categories dinner, meat, tacos, main course
Time 3h
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, combine pork, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and the oregano, and toss to evenly coat the meat in the spices. Squeeze orange juice all over the pork and add the juiced orange quarters to the pot. Add onion, garlic, cinnamon stick and bay leaf, and toss until well incorporated, nestling everything in an even layer. Drizzle oil evenly over the meat. Cover and braise in oven until pork is tender, about 2 1/2 hours, stirring once halfway through the cooking.
- Heat broiler to high, setting a rack 6 inches from the heat source. Transfer pork to a rimmed baking sheet and shred the meat. Strain juices from the pot through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing on the solids; discard solids. Skim fat from top and reserve the juices.
- Broil pork until golden and crisp in spots, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer carnitas to serving plates and drizzle with some of the reserved juices. Serve warm with tortillas and toppings of choice.
CARNITAS CASERAS (HOME-COOKED CARNITAS)
What do I serve my mom and dad after a hard day of working in my yard? Burritos made with these Carnitas. It's the best way I can think of to say "thank you." From Diana Kennedy's "The Art of Mexican Cooking" although not exactly traditional, this recipe was first published in Gastronomia Mexiquense, a collection of recipes from the state of Mexico.
Provided by cookiedog
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 55m
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Heat the lard in a heavy pan, add the meat, and fry, stirring and turning it over from time to time, until lightly golden-about 8 minutes.
- Add the onion and stir well. Cook for 8 minutes longer or until the meat is well browned (remove onion only if it has burned).
- Add the remaining ingredients, cover the pan, and cook over low heat until the meat is just tender, not falling apart- about 20 minutes, depending on the quality of the meat. There should be plenty of pan juices. Remove the lid, increase the heat, and fry, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the juices have been absorbed- about 10 minutes. Drain off the extra fat and serve with salsa fresca, guacamole, and tortillas.
- These carnitas may be prepared ahead up to thee point of the final frying, but they should be kept covered so that the meat does not dry out.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 597.7, Fat 31.9, SaturatedFat 12, Cholesterol 208.7, Sodium 153.9, Carbohydrate 5.4, Fiber 0.7, Sugar 2.4, Protein 68
Tips:
- Choose the right cut of pork: Pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) is the best cut for carnitas because it is well-marbled and has a lot of flavor. You can also use pork loin, but it will be less flavorful.
- Score the pork: Scoring the pork shoulder helps the marinade penetrate the meat and makes it more tender. Use a sharp knife to make deep cuts in the pork, about 1 inch apart.
- Use a flavorful marinade: The marinade is what gives carnitas its delicious flavor. There are many different recipes for carnitas marinade, but some common ingredients include orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and chili powder. You can also add other spices and herbs to taste.
- Cook the carnitas slowly: Carnitas are traditionally cooked over low heat for several hours. This allows the meat to become tender and fall apart easily. You can cook carnitas in the oven, in a slow cooker, or on the stovetop.
- Shred the carnitas: Once the carnitas are cooked, shred them using two forks. This will make them easier to serve and eat.
Conclusion:
Carnitas are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in many different ways. They can be served on tacos, burritos, tortas, or simply as a main course with rice and beans. Carnitas are also a great option for meal prep, as they can be cooked ahead of time and reheated when you're ready to eat.
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