On a trip to Guadalajara, a cabbie I was badgering about food recommendations took offense at my disappointment with the variety of offerings as compared with Mexico City. He rattled off a list of dishes available in Guadalajara that would be lacking in DF. Some I could follow, with my mediocre Spanish, some I couldn't. But his passion for carnitas, Michoacan-style carnitas, came through loud and clear. He became more and more animated describing how much better they were than others and where to get the best.

Indeed, the carnitas of Michoacan have become my guiding star for the succulent pieces of pork. Think pork confit crisped on the outside, often with a hint of citrus. The richness of the meat can withstand the brightest and hottest salsas.

Serve with tortillas, as a filling for tacos, along with steamed nopales, in burritos, in enchiladas, or a million other ways.

1 lb Pork Shoulder or Country Style Pork Ribs
Lard
1 Orange (optional)
Salt

Preaheat oven to 250. Cube pork into 2 inch squares. Add pork to baking dish. Optionally, you can peel the zest from the orange and add it to the pork. You can even add the juice of half the orange.

Bring enough lard to cover meat by 1/2 inch to 180 degrees or a simmer. If you add some water to the oil, bubbles will form as the fat approaches a simmer. However, a thermometer, especially a probe thermometer makes this easiest. Water should start to pop in the oil once the temperature goes beyond boiling.

Add the simmering oil to the baking dish, covering the pork by at least a 1/2 inch. Add the pan to the oven and simmer the meat until tender, approximately two hours. Do not let the oil heat above 200 if possible. This will cook the meat too fast. If you have a probe thermometer you can watch the temperature. If it begins to climb above 190, turn down the oven temperature to 200 and open the door of the oven for a minute or two. If the temperature of the oil begins to fall below 170, increase the oven's temperature. You can slso do this on the stovetop, but it does take more effort to maintain the lard's temperature.

INCOMPLETE....WILL FINISH AFTER I GET SOME SLEEP...

Date User Comment

Thu 05/20/04 04:14:08 ExtraMSG Initial entry of recipe.