Crisp-Edged Pork Carnitas

Ingredients

• 4 lb (1.8 kg) boneless pork butt/shoulder, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks; keep its marbling
• 2 teaspoons fine salt to start, then adjust
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 bay leaves
• ½ large white onion, sliced; 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 2 cups water, plus a little more if needed
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• ½ cup whole milk
• Warm tortillas, onion, cilantro, lime, and salsa, to serve

Method

1. Start the braise.

   Heat oven to 300°F/150°C. Put pork, seasonings, bay, onion, garlic, water, orange juice, and milk into a snug Dutch oven. The liquid should reach roughly halfway up the meat; add a little water only if needed. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stove.

2. Cook until yielding.

   Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook about 2½–3½ hours, checking after 2 hours, until pieces separate easily with a fork. Turn once and add a splash of hot water if the pot is drying. The milk may separate; that is expected in this mixture.

3. Concentrate the juices.

   Lift pork onto a rimmed metal sheet pan. Discard bay leaves. Strain the liquid into a saucepan and spoon off most excess fat, reserving 1–2 tablespoons for crisping. Simmer the juices until flavorful and lightly thickened, usually 10–25 minutes. Taste as they reduce: do not force them down to 1 cup if already salty.

4. Dress the pork.

   Pull pork into chunky pieces. Toss with ½–1 cup reduced juices, enough to coat without puddles, and a little reserved fat. Spread loosely in one layer, using two pans if needed.

5. Brown and serve.

   Broil about 6 inches from the heat, watching continuously. Begin checking after 2 minutes; browning often takes 3–6 minutes per side. Turn once if desired and stop when edges are crisp and centers still moist. Do not use parchment under the broiler. Serve immediately in warm tortillas with toppings.

Kitchen notes

Slow cooker

Use a 6-quart slow cooker with thawed pork and the same ingredients, but reduce the water to ½ cup. Cook LOW 8–10 hours or HIGH 5–6 hours until fork-tender, following the appliance’s fill limits. Strain and reduce the juices on the stove, then broil as above.

Milk and crisping

Milk is retained from the supplied recipe; for a dairy-free version replace it with water. Milk and orange solids can darken rapidly under the broiler, so color is the endpoint rather than a fixed long exposure.

Make ahead

Cool promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate pork with some juices. Reheat to 165°F/74°C, then crisp just the portions you need. Use within 3–4 days or freeze promptly.

For cooked dishes, cool promptly and follow the storage and reheating guide. Follow the shorter storage directions above where given.