Carnitas
- 3 pounds thick, meaty country style pork ribs, pork butt or pork shoulder
- 2 pounds lard, or enough to cover the meat
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 orange, zest removed with a vegetable peeler in wide strips
- 1 lime - cut into pieces
- 5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 12 soft flour or corn tortillas
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Trim most of the fat from the meat, leaving a thin layer. Cut into 4-inch pieces.
In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the lard over medium-low heat. When it has melted but is not yet very hot, add the pork, water, orange zest, lime pieces, garlic, and salt. Cook at a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally so that the meat evenly cooks, for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. If the meat needs more time and all of the water has evaporated, add a bit more water and continue to cook until the meat is tender.
Once the meat is tender, raise the heat to medium-high. (Don't panic if the lard comes to a rolling boil - this will diminish as the water evaporates and will become small bubbles.) After the boiling lard changes to small bubbles, cook the meat for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until light golden brown and crispy all over. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon or tongs and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with the salt. When the meat has cooled slightly, pull the meat apart using 2 forks into shreds and smaller pieces and discard the bones.
To serve, make the tacos with the meat and warm tortillas, and garnish with pico de gallo. Servings: 4-6
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