Pork Came With the Spanish
Pigs were not present in the Americas before the Spanish brought them in the sixteenth century. They adapted well, reproduced quickly, and could be raised in small yards, which made them important to households and small communities. Within a few generations, pork and pork fat were woven into Mexican cooking, and lard became a common cooking fat, especially in the center and south.
This is a good example of how Mexican food absorbed new ingredients and made them its own. Pork now appears in tamales, stews, sausages, fillings, sauces and, most famously, in carnitas.
What Carnitas Are
Carnitas means “little meats”. The dish is pork slowly cooked in lard until it is tender inside and browned at the edges. It is closely associated with the state of Michoacan, and the town of Quiroga is often mentioned as a center for the dish, although claims of precise origin are hard to verify. In many parts of central and western Mexico it is a weekend and market specialty, and it is also eaten at celebrations and family gatherings. It belongs to the food described under Michoacan cuisine, alongside uchepos and corundas.
The Traditional Method
Traditionally, carnitas are cooked in a large, wide copper pot called a cazo. The pot is heated over a fire, and a large quantity of lard is melted. Pieces of pork are added, along with salt and, depending on the cook, a few extra ingredients. The pork simmers gently in the fat for a few hours.
Seasonings vary. Some cooks use only salt and the pork’s own flavor. Others add bay leaf, thyme, orange, garlic or milk, which some say helps the browning. These are matters of local habit, and cooks will often argue for their own approach.
The fat does two jobs. At a low temperature it works like a gentle poaching liquid, and the meat becomes soft and juicy. Toward the end the heat is raised, and the surface browns and crisps. The cook then lifts the pieces out and chops or pulls them as ordered. The method resembles confit, though that word is not used in Mexico.
Cuts and Orders
Customers at a carnitas stand often order by weight and by part of the animal. Common choices include:
- Maciza: lean meat, usually from the shoulder or leg.
- Costilla: ribs.
- Cuero: the skin, which becomes soft and gelatinous.
- Buche: the stomach.
- Surtida: a mixed order that includes several parts.
The combination of lean meat, fat and soft pieces is part of the experience, and different customers prefer different mixes. Different parts need different cooking times, so cooks add them to the pot in an order that lets everything finish together.
The meat is generally served with warm corn tortillas, chopped onion and cilantro, lime and salsa. A tomatillo salsa is a common companion, and pickled chiles, guacamole and beans may also appear.
Carnitas at Home
Home cooks often adapt the dish. The simplest approach is to cut pork shoulder into large chunks, season with salt and some aromatics, and cook it slowly in a heavy pot with enough fat to cover or nearly cover the meat. Some use an oven. Finishing under a hot grill or in a skillet browns the surface.
A few cautions apply:
- Hot fat is dangerous. Keep the pot stable, never add wet ingredients to very hot fat, and keep a lid nearby to smother flare-ups. Never use water on a fat fire.
- Pork should be cooked through. Slow cooking until tender typically takes it well beyond the minimum safe temperature, but a thermometer is a good check.
- Cooled fat can be strained and reused for a limited time, but it should be stored cold and discarded if it smells off.
Other Pork Traditions
Carnitas are one point in a large range of pork dishes across the country.
- Cochinita pibil, in the Yucatan, is pork marinated in achiote and sour orange and traditionally cooked in a pit, part of Yucatecan cuisine.
- Chicharron is fried pork skin, eaten as a snack, in salsa, or in stews.
- Chorizo, a seasoned fresh sausage, is made in red and green versions in different regions.
- Pork is often used in pozole stew, a festival dish, and also appears in tamales, moles and adobos.
- Tripe-based menudo soup is sometimes made with pork or beef, depending on the region.
- Lechon, roast suckling pig, is a festive dish in several regions.
None of these overlaps exactly with carnitas, and each has its own history.
Pork in the Wider Picture
Pork, beef, goat, lamb, chicken and turkey all have their regions and occasions. It is better to see them as parts of a larger picture than to treat one meat as the true taste of Mexico. Pork has strong claims in the center and south, and its connection to lard also affects other foods, such as refried beans, which are traditionally made with lard in many regions. Today, some cooks use vegetable oil instead, and preferences differ.
Why Carnitas Endure
Carnitas hold their place because they combine several practical virtues. The method suits large batches, the cooking fat preserves the meat well, the dish is rich and filling, and it suits a social setting. A carnitas stand at a Sunday market, with a crowd waiting and a cook working the pot, shows how a technique can become a community tradition.