What is Carnitas?

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What is Carnitas?

As the food generation grows with knowledge of food from around the world, new words come into the English vocabulary (well, old words, just new to us).  Carnitas is one of them. In Spanish, carnitas translates as “little meats.” It’s a simple dish that’s easy on the budget.

Carnitas begin as a piece of pork with heavy marbling, like a pork shoulder. The meat braises with seasonings and lard until it’s nearly melty. Next, the pork is shredded and then roasted for crispness. In this form, it can become part of a main meal or added to things like tacos and burritos. The aroma while it cooks is astounding. 

Carnitas’ Kissing Cousins

At the point where you have pulled pork… well, you have pulled pork. But it is not carnitas. Pulled pork remains soft, while carnitas receive a last round of roasting for that crunch. Barbacoa is another preparation similar to carnitas but made from beef. Like pulled pork, it’s slow-braised with adobo seasonings (sometimes marinated) but doesn’t undergo the last step, which separates carnitas from the pack. 

PitMastler’s Memo: Carnitas Enter Stage Right

Pigs made their way to the “New World” in the late 1400s. A story tells us that Herman Cortes invites people to a celebration to celebrate the fall of the Aztec Empire. Pig was available, so they were butchered and cooked in their own lard. The side dish? Cornbread. 

Sides

Black bean salad

Cilantro Lime Rice

Mexican street corn

Tortilla soup

Queso and chips

Desserts

Apple enchiladas

Chocolate dipped strawberries

Churros

Tamarind candy

Tres leches cake

From the Bar

Albarino

Aguas Frescas

Prickly pear margarita 

Smoked porter

Tequila 

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