Traditional Mexican Pork Carnitas in a Cast Iron Pot

Pork carnitas is one of the most famous dishes to come from Mexico: slow-cooked pork, shredded and fried up to give a crispy and wonderfully delicious take on pulled pork. While pulled pork is easy to make and delicious, this will take your pulled pork to a new level. In fact, there are two ways to make this dish: the easy way and the "traditional" way. The easy way is to slow-cook a big pork shoulder in a cast iron pot until it falls apart, producing a tasty and very satisfying pulled pork. The "traditional" way is also easy to do, and it's faster than the usual slow-cooked method. However, the "traditional" method for making carnitas involves deep-frying the pork pieces in lard, for as long as two to three hours. Because not everyone wants to use up to a gallon of lard in the making of this dish, the "easy" way is the more popular method for making carnitas. But if you want to make the extra effort and cook this dish in lard, you'll have a feast you won't soon forget. The recipe for this dish can be seen on my Web site, Cast Iron Chaos, at: www.modemac.com...
Cast Iron Chaos on Facebook: / castironchaos
Cast Iron Cooking on Facebook: / castironskillet
MUSIC
"Sound of Aging"
by Max McFerren
"Wishful Thinking"
by Dan Lebowitz
Courtesy of KZbin Audio Library
www.youtube.co...

[@chris2178741]

Ah hell no. The ending killed me 💀 😂

[@tylerclayburn8688]

All that work to put fucking Lettuce and shredded cheddar lmao

[@dezy56]

😂

[@hectornoriega4441]

Your mom would be very proud of you, gringo.

[@larrygonzales821]

Thanks for your cool videos.

[@charleshowell7855]

Thanks ! Been looking for a more traditional method for carnitas. Don’t forget the margaritas!

[@rchavez1840]

I was loving your video until you brought out the flour tortillas cheese and lettuce lol. Excellent job on the frying. I was trying to figure out if i could make like in the cazo but instead the dutch oven. Thank you looks fantastic

[@colonelphil3352]

I love your channel as well as your Facebook page . . .keep up the good work . . .

[@Nesa9814]

You should try it with homemade corn tortillas, cilantro, diced onion , salsa verder , queso fresco , limes and guacamole .... Some charro beans on the side and a margarita .... As a matter of fact ......damn now i want some , gonna go buy it and make it . Omg i can't wait !!!!

[@geedubb2005]

That brings back great memories. I live in the Chile capital of the US, and just a very short distance to Mexico. I use to get carnitas burritos at a little cafe within a mile of the Mexican border. A place right next to Rosas Cantina, the place Marty Robbins sang about. They pressure cooked the pork in lard. Cut it into pieces, then chopped it and griddled it. Rolled up in a homemade flour tortilla with pick de Gallo “chopped fresh jalapeño, onion, garlic and tomato. Dang they were awesome. The business closed up years ago and I never found anything close to what they made. I do get my share of Mexican food though. Every year I put up about 100 lbs. of roasted Chile. Thanks so much for sharing your videos.

[@geedubb2005]

“Pico de Gallo”......damned autocorrect.

[@geedubb2005]

I forgot one ingredient for the pico de Gallo. You also add chopped up fresh cilantro.

[@dtag30]

Keep the skin and cook it with it. It's soooo good.

[@gilboston20033]

This is how people cook and save before the refrigerator. The farmer kill the pig, cut in pieces and fry it using their own fat. Transfer to a big 20 litters can, and fill with the fat that was used to fry. All pieces had to be covered. To eat, just pick one or more pieces and make sure all pieces were covered inside the can. The farmers still using this method today, and they eat the meat up to 6 months.

[@LatteBrown]

I hope you saved that skin for later...Yes, that lard can be saved in the back of refrigerator to use for the next time.Thanks for sharing your version

[@javierchavez8301]

I was skeptical when the video started, got more worried when I heard him talk, got excited when he did it the traditional way, got more excited when I saw it finished, was disappointed when he used cheddar cheese,flour tortillas,sour cream and lettuce

[@omz31]

For real, that was my same reaction series. Said authentic/traditional, then went gringo 😮‍💨

[@franciegarneau1651]

This looks good! Will have to try to make it.

[@SamSam-qm1li]

My man applied French technique to a Mexican dish. Gansta!

[@MercenaryBlackWater4]

As Mexican people have been doing since ever...carnitas = pork confit.

[@jessefuller6419]

Dude you are the man!!! Seriously, you’re recipe is so delicious and I love your video!!! I can tell you are brilliant😋

[@keithbrookshire]

That looked great as all your recipes do. perhaps it's because I'm a few beers into the evening and a little bit "slow" but for each of your captions I had to pause and rewind in order to read it. They seem to be on the screen very briefly.

[@stephenlandry7276]

It reminds me of cooking Cracklins!!!

[@Mr-furley]

my uncle uses whole pork roast and leaves the fatcap on the exes fat basicly turns in to tender chicharrones its the best thing ive ever tasted you can litteraly eat the pure fat and its amazing

[@j.record7151]

The oil needs to be higher than 200° at first, then lowered to the 200°-210° mark, after the exterior color is achieved.

[@jamesross6485]

would this cooking procedure work to cook buche?

[@williamhurt8512]

modemac, you really are the best!!!

[@LayDiva-in-the-Zone]

I use a few more spices, like oregano and cumin, and I prefer red pepper flakes instead of black pepper. I use a combination of kosher salt and garlic powder. I love carnitas and I'll use lard to fry it up the next time.

[@kaysandel3970]

This look yummy . I asked an owner of my favorite Mexican restaurant how they marinated their pork for carnitas and he finally gave up the secret.. they use Corona beer along with onions and a few other spices. Who would have thought of beer . We moved away but when we’re in town we always stop by for some of the best car it’s around.

[@joebird1400]

Always use beer

[@gregoryturner2468]

I have to try it one day. What CI did you use to heat the tortillas? Use usually state all CI used in your videos. It looked like a #5. BS&R or Lodge?

[@castironchaos]

That was a BS&R #7 skillet.

[@TheShumoby]

Yum! I'll be making this soon.

[@devinmunoz3424]

Thanks I’m making this

[@PatGilliland]

Daaaamn....

[@JrLeon]

You didn't use the skin?? It is one of the best parts. Cut that into strips and cook with the meat. So good.

[@Cheaptrix5150]

No orange or mexican coke?

[@delilahgonzalez8415]

True every Mexican puts oranges and coke

[@FrazierMtnCheese]

BTW, Can you strain and reuse the lard?

[@geedubb2005]

Yes, and you can clean your lard by cooking a few potatoes in it. Just strain the solids out first.

[@tclaw1406]

I made some pork carnitas last weekend. I smoked St Louis style spareribs. Used the leftover meat for carnitas the next day.

[@mplscarsales6652]

The way you cooked it was correct but you added American cheese sour cream flour tortilla onion in the end . traditional is corn tortillas/cilantro/ onion/ green or red sauce/lime to top it off.

[@boilerhonkiedude9163]

A quick way of getting all the lard out...did I say that?!..is put the near empty tub in a microwave, then dump. Looks yummy!

[@unitoftemp]

Or put the bucket in some lukewarm water.

[@mjbuisse]

I have one quibble with this recipe. After you’ve done the confit, there is a lot of water in the lard. I just finished off the cooked meat under my broiler.

[@FrazierMtnCheese]

Question, this is off topic of this great recipe. But being you are the Cast Iron Guru you will know the answer. My friend bought a Griswold 8 704Z at a garage sale for $25.00 Can you tell us what year it is? And true value? It's in great condition. Thank you in advance. Love your channel ❤

[@castironchaos]

704Z was a "small logo" Griswold, from the 1940s through the 1950s. See also: www.booniehicks.com/griswold-cast-iron-skillet/

[@FrazierMtnCheese]

@@castironchaos Thank you so much for the information and reply.

[@hectornoriega4441]

¡Amazing gringo, amazing!

[@jaym5619]

Looks good will try it out, but my Mexican Friend told me... NOOOOO lettuce that's not something they use and the cheese but everything else I will try lol..

[@yesdeere1376]

You lost me when I saw flour tortilla

[@JPE_DRAEB]

What does that necklace symbolizes?

[@BlueberryCaviar]

Traditionally You’re supposed to shred the pork when it’s done and add some salsa maybe a little onion to the taco

[@cujo229]

If u can find in local store or online next time use sour orange it will enhance the flavor profile. Kirby brand or badia is the best

[@Brandi.Nicole]

Break up the carnitas a bit, squeeze with fresh lime & top with salsa verde or a little pico.

[@mAKtre47]

Thats how you do it! When I saw that cheese and cream with lettuce inwas whaaat?? 🤣🤣🤣 but hey to each their own right

[@SICK562CKRISS]

You need to look up some videos on KZbin bruh cus you forgot the spices.

[@jerriefisher792]

Sir, that wasn't a pork shoulder, it was a green ham.

[@castironchaos]

I do like green eggs and ham, I do like them, Sam I Am.

[@mexicanamerican21]

No don’t cut off the fat strap! Leave it on and cut the pork into steaks so the fat stays together

[@Vinnytint2]

Put the container of lard in hot water , it’ll all slide out

[@fredstone9016]

Probably would say this is the furthest from carnitas I’ve seen…..

[@jacobdunrud1070]

I did what he did to cook the carnitas but he lost me when he assembled that “taco”

[@ouou-db9pw]

That's not how you really make carnitas you're missing a bunch of stuff still

[@bsideadventures2180]

That's the whites taco I've ever seen

[@03mta]

wtf why would you put cheese

[@SamSam-qm1li]

Why not fry it in it's own skin fat

[@billyvelasco4576]

No

[@patriciascott4211]

Perfect for keto diet 😬

[@miket8324]

Soooooo wrong. Just saying.

[@xx_dogsquad_xx3364]

Not a good taco at all Very not impressed

[@fcjr24659]

Walter white could cook meth… unfortunately not carnitas

[@style-t.v9895]

Not traditional.. carnitas are made with Mexican cococola

[@rocket4602]

The 'experts' chime in to critisize......experts, NOT! Here's a news flash.....these carnias look daym good. Hey experts..y'all probably eat at Taco Bell anyway, right?

[@castironchaos]

Thank you for the kind words.

[@Luke.Cooking]

Kind of a sad looking taco.

[@gwlemus]

Good try...but no... Not even close...

[@abelgutierrez744]

That's the heart attack way of making carnitas put him in the oven

[@blueghost2933]

You can also keep the skin on. Also, if the pork Carnitas meat has enough fat on it you don’t need to add additional lard. Just cook it over the stove in the cast-iron and eventually it will Crisp up and turn that wonderful red crispy color from its own fat. And when you make the tacos, you can also use corn tortillas with cilantro onion and lime on the side with some avocado.

[@delilahgonzalez8415]

That's how us mexicans do it 😍 keep the fat on

[@mr.klutchrednose2700]

THAT SURE LOOKS LIKE THE REAL DEAL MY FRIEND 👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿

[@dirtdawg5969]

No