Carnitas Tacos (Michoacán-Style Braised Pork Tacos)

By bjlazyl

Ingredients

• For the Carnitas
• 3 tbsp. lard or canola oil
• 3 lb. skinless, bone-in pork shoulder, cut into 3" pieces (have your butcher do this)
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 3 ⁄4 cup whole milk
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 6 canned or jarred whole pickled jalapeños
• 1 ⁄3 cup jalapeño pickling liquid, from above
• 1 large white onion, roughly chopped
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 oranges, juiced
• For the Salsa and Serving
• 6 tomatillos, husked and cored
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 plum tomatoes, cored
• 1 canned or jarred whole pickled jalapeño, stemmed
• 3 tbsp. jalapeño pickling liquid, from above, plus more for serving
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Corn tortillas, warmed, for serving
• Roughly chopped cilantro and thinly sliced radishes, for garnish
• Orange wedges, for serving

Preparation

Step 1

Make the carnitas: Melt lard in an 8-qt. saucepan over medium-high. Season pork with salt; cook, turning as needed, until browned, 10–12 minutes. Add milk, garlic, jalapeños and pickling liquid, onion, and lime and orange juices; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until pork is tender, about 2 hours. Let pork cool and transfer to a cutting board; chop into bite-size pieces. Strain cooking liquid and return to pan; stir in pork and keep warm.

Make the salsa and serve: Heat a 12" cast-iron skillet over medium-high; cook tomatillos, garlic, and tomatoes, turning as needed, until blackened all over, 12–15 minutes, and transfer to blender. Add jalapeño and pickling liquid, and salt; purée until smooth. Serve carnitas on tortillas with salsa; garnish with cilantro and radishes. Serve with more pickled jalapeños and the orange wedges.