Recipe
Carnitas
Traditional Mexican carnitas deep-fried in lard until the pork butt is tender with a golden crust. An Easter Sunday family tradition cooked outdoors in a caso (large copper pot), with an indoor Dutch oven adaptation for year-round cooking.
Prep
20 min
Cook
1 hr
Total
1 hr 20 min
Difficulty
Intermediate
Yield
6-8 tacos per pound of raw pork
Method
Hot & Fast
Internal Temp
180°F
Even though it isn't BBQ, I figured I could share this with you all since it's delicious and it does, after all, involve one of my favorite cuts of meat: the pork butt. My family has a tradition of cooking carnitas outdoors on Easter Sunday and feasting on tacos and downing a couple of cold ones. It's a day when I'm not the one responsible for the Q, which gives me some time to just kick back and enjoy the party.
Carnitas are traditionally cooked inside of a caso (a large copper pot) and deep-fried in lard until the meat is tender and a tasty crust develops. Pork butts aren't the only things that go in the lard… Brother X also likes to drop in a rack or two of spare ribs. Deep-fried ribs, as if ribs weren't fatty enough. We chop up the carnitas and wrap them in a tortilla, sprinkle some cilantro and onions, and add a dollop of homemade salsa. It's a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Here's an indoor version of the recipe:
What You Need
Ingredients
- 1 pork butt
- 2 pounds of lard (or oil)
- 2 lemons
- Salt
- Fresh salsa, tortillas, diced onions and cilantro (optional, for serving)
Step by Step
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Trim excess fat from the pork butt and cube into 3- to 4-inch pieces. Heat up the lard in a large Dutch oven (large enough to fit the lard and pork with room to spare) to 375°F, or right before the lard starts to smoke. Add the soda, then start adding the meat piece by piece. If the lard starts to cool too much, wait for it to reheat before adding more pork. Don't let the pot get too full — you can always cook the meat in two batches. Stir the lard and pork every few minutes, making sure nothing sticks to the side and that all parts are getting cooked equally. The meat is done when it's a nice brown color and the internal temperature reaches 180°F. You can always pull a piece out to check. Remove the meat and let it drain in a metal colander over a sheet pan. Chop up the meat with a cleaver, add some salt, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the meat. Serve it on a plate with your favorite side dishes and a stack of tortillas. Or heat up some tortillas, fill them with meat, add some diced onion and cilantro, and top it off with your favorite salsa. **Important:** Never use water to put out an oil fire. The water will splatter the burning oil and spread it more quickly. Instead, smother the flames with a tight-fitting lid. Keep one nearby whenever you're working with hot oil.
Pro Tips
- Traditional method uses a caso (large copper pot) outdoors with lard
- The soda helps tenderize the meat and adds subtle sweetness
- SAFETY: Never use water to put out an oil fire — smother with a tight-fitting lid or baking soda
- Can also deep-fry spare ribs alongside the pork butt for an extra treat
- Family Easter Sunday tradition
Equipment
- A Caso