How to Make Carnitas in a Copper Pot

Carnitas, a traditional Mexican dish made of pork, is slow-cooked until it falls apart in tender strands. It's used frequently as a filling for tacos and burritos. Making this dish in a copper pot is just as easy as making it in a roasting pan or slow-cooker; you need only a few ingredients.

Things You'll Need

  • 4-to-5-pound pork loin
  • 2 small yellow onions, diced small
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup lard
  • 1 tbsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. oregano
  • 1 tbsp. cumin
  • 1 tbsp. chili powder
  • Water or broth

Instructions

  1. Rub the pork loin with garlic, salt, pepper and oregano. If the loin was frozen, make sure it has thoroughly thawed before you begin cooking.

  2. Melt the lard in the copper pot. You can use oil if you like, but if you are trying to be authentic, well-rendered lard is the key.

  3. Saute the onions until they begin to soften but before they turn brown. Add the cumin and chili powder and cook another 2 minutes. (There are many recipes for carnitas; if you don't care for chili powder, leave it out or use a different spice.)

  4. Place the pork loin in the pot. The loin must be covered with liquid while it cooks down. You can either add water or broth to bring the measure just up to the top of the meat. If you want to really make this a Mexican dish, you can simmer the whole loin in lard.

  5. Simmer the pork for 2 to 3 hours and then check on it. The meat will be done when it falls easily apart. You should not have to use a knife to cut carnitas; a fork should be sufficient.

  6. Heat a little lard or oil in a saute or sauce pan. Take 2 cups of meat at a time and saute on a high heat until it's crisped. You can also do this in an 400 degree F oven if you can't bear to add more fat to this recipe.

  7. Serve the carnitas with tortillas, salsa, shredded lettuce and guacamole.

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