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Mexican

Michoacán Carnitas

Michoacán-style Mexican carnitas with slow-cooked pork, citrus, garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and a lightly crisp finish.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 6 September 2026Updated

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Michoacán Carnitas

2 hr 15 mintotal

Prep 15 min · Cook 2 hr

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
Mild
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Two and a half to three hours, nearly all of it a slow covered simmer. The last uncovered stretch, when the liquid goes and the pork starts to fry, is the part to watch.

Method

  1. Place the pork shoulder, lard, orange juice, onion, garlic, bay leaf, dry oregano, cumin powder, black pepper, salt, and measured water in a heavy pot.

  2. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook slowly until the pork is very tender.

  3. Uncover and continue cooking until most of the liquid evaporates and the pork begins to fry lightly in its fat.

  4. Break the pork into smaller chunks with a spoon and let the edges turn lightly golden and crisp.

  5. Remove the bay leaf, add lemon juice, and adjust salt if needed.

  6. Finish with fresh coriander and serve hot with warm corn tortillas.

How to tell it's done

The pork should be juicy and shreddable, with lightly crisp golden edges and no watery sauce left.

Getting it right

Tip

Let the liquid reduce fully before crisping; carnitas should be tender inside and lightly crisp at the edges.

What to serve it with

Serve with corn tortillas, onion, coriander, beans, or Mexican red rice.

Common mistakes

The pork is tender but pale and soft.
The uncovered stage is where carnitas are made. Keep going after the liquid has evaporated until the meat is actually frying in its own fat and the edges catch — that browning is the entire point.
The meat is dry and stringy.
Use shoulder, not loin, and keep the simmer gentle. Boiled hard, pork shoulder squeezes out its fat early and there is nothing left to crisp in at the end.

Substitutions

  • Use Cooking Oil instead of Lard for a lighter version, but the traditional carnitas flavor will be reduced.
  • Use Pork Shoulder rather than lean pork cuts because it stays tender during slow cooking.
  • Use Lemon as listed when Mexican lime is unavailable.
  • Serve as slow-cooked pork pieces rather than a taco-only recipe to keep it distinct from existing taco recipes.

Storing and reheating

Keeps four days in the fridge and freezes for three months in its own fat. Reheat in a hot dry pan rather than a microwave — a few minutes gets the crisp edges back, which is most of why you made it.