Carnitas
INGREDIENTS
- 3-pound pork butt, cut into 4 pieces
- 3 pounds refined lard, or suet
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 1 1/4 tablespoons kosher salt
- for serving
- Pico de Gallo, see recipe
- Corn tortillas
- Salsa
- Lime wedges
- Radish slices,
DIRECTIONS
- Remove the pork butt from refrigeration 1 hour before cooking. Do not remove the bone.
- Heat the lard in a large stainless steel pot over high heat to 250 degrees F.
- The pot needs to be large enough to fit all the pieces of pork butt side by side, not on top of each other, and preferably not touching each other.
- Add enough lard to completely submerge the meat. Add the onion and garlic and let brown but do not burn.
- If garlic burns, you must start the process over.
- Remove onions and garlic from the lard and discard.
- Carefully add the pork pieces to the lard and then allow the oil to reach 250 degrees F again. Do not let the pork stick to the bottom or sides of pot.
- Stir around every 30 minutes to insure even coloring.
- Cook for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- The pork should be caramel-colored with an internal temperature of 170 to 180 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Five minutes before you are ready to remove the meat, sprinkle the kosher salt into the oil.
- Continue to cook pork for 5 more minutes and then remove the pork from the oil to a platter.
- Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Shred the meat and serve with Pico de Gallo, warm tortillas, salsa, limes, and radish slices.