No.63 The 100 Most Popular Recipes Ever · October 2026

Carnitas

Name: Carnitas
Yield: 6 to 8
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 lb (1.4 kg) boneless pork shoulder with some fat, cut into 2-inch cubes; 2 tsp fine salt; Water to just cover; Juice of 1 orange (optional); 2 tbsp lard (optional, if the pork is lean); Warm corn tortillas, salsa verde, chopped onion, cilantro and lime wedges, to serve

Made famous by Diana Kennedy

Photo: Jj saezdeo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From The Cuisines of Mexico, 1972.

Michoacán's slow-cooked pork is the most ordered taco filling in Mexico and the United States. Diana Kennedy's recipe is the reference.

6 to 8Makes

3 hours (20 minutes hands-on)Time

Written in our own words and tested in a home kitchen. Get the original in The Cuisines of Mexico.

Pork shoulder simmered in water and salt until the water evaporates, then fried in its own fat until browned and crisp at the edges and tender inside.

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Ingredients

3 lb (1.4 kg) boneless pork shoulder with some fat, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 tsp fine salt
Water to just cover
Juice of 1 orange (optional)
2 tbsp lard (optional, if the pork is lean)
Warm corn tortillas, salsa verde, chopped onion, cilantro and lime wedges, to serve

Steps

Put the pork in a wide, heavy pot in one layer. Add the salt and orange juice and just enough water to barely cover.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a steady simmer and cook uncovered, without stirring much, until the water has completely evaporated, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The meat should be tender.
Keep cooking over medium-low heat as the fat renders out. Turn the pieces now and then as they fry in their own fat, 20 to 30 minutes, until evenly browned and crisp at the edges. Add lard if the pot looks dry.
Lift out and drain briefly. Pull the pieces into rough shreds with two forks, leaving some chunks.
Serve at once on warm tortillas with salsa, onion, cilantro and lime.

Chef's tips

For crisper carnitas, spread the shredded meat on a sheet pan and broil 3 to 4 minutes.
Strain and keep the pork fat for refrying beans.

This is Chef Amazing's write-up of the dish, tested for a home kitchen. The original is in The Cuisines of Mexico by Diana Kennedy: get the book, No. 11 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks.

← No. 62Red lentil dal

→ No. 64Pozole rojo

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