How to Make Carnitas for Tacos ~ With Chef Frank

pork shoulder

🥗Healthier: pork tenderloin

💰Cheaper: pork butt

Pork tenderloin is leaner, while pork butt is often more affordable.

fresh cilantro

🥗Healthier: parsley

💰Cheaper: dried cilantro

Parsley is a good substitute for flavor, while dried cilantro is more economical.

Introduce the dish and the cut of meat, pork picnic shoulder.

Explain the differences between picnic shoulder and Boston butt.

Bone out the pork picnic shoulder, cutting along the natural seams and cubing the meat into 1.5 to 2-inch pieces.

Save the bone and skin for other uses, like ramen stock or chicharrones.

Add about three bay leaves to the pot with the cubed pork.

Chop and add oranges, keeping the rind and juice, into the pot.

Rough chop about a head of garlic and add it to the pot.

Season with about three to four tablespoons of salt and fresh cracked black pepper, mixing everything well.

Let the mixture marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Heat lard and vegetable oil in a pot on high heat, then add the marinated pork.

Stir until the fat melts and the meat starts to cook, then lower the heat to medium.

Stir every 10 minutes until the meat is fork tender and shreds easily, cooking for about an hour to an hour and a half.

Remove the orange peels from the pot after cooking.

Break up the meat with tongs and prepare to serve.

Warm corn tortillas and fill with the shredded meat, adding pickled onions and fresh cilantro on top.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary