Carnitas, literally meaning 'small pieces of meat' in Spanish, is a very typical Mexican dish. The meat most commonly used is pork, and specifically shoulder cuts. There are some versions of carnitas that use beef, but the meat typically used is pork. Since the cut of pork used for carnitas is tough, the meat is first braised in liquid and then roasted. The braising softens up and flavors the pork, since the braising liquid contains a number of spices and herbs.

As with all Mexican recipes, carnitas come in many different versions. The main concept remains the same, that is, corn tortillas filled with meat, the difference is in the way the meat is cooked and the other ingredients that are used as a filling together with the meat.

Making carnitas, as with most Mexican recipes, is quite simple. The secret is to prepare all necessary ingredients before you start. You should start cooking the meat well in advance since it takes between 3 and 4 hours to cook. You can even do this a day before and refrigerate.

In the traditional way of cooking carnitas, the pork is slow cooked for several hours in lard, milk, salt, thyme, oregano, bay leaf and garlic. When the meat becomes tender, it is cooked on a high heat until the milk evaporates. When the outside of the pork turns crisp the pork is shredded and used for the carnitas.