# Carnitas

A delicious stovetop carnitas recipe with a unique combination of liquids to tenderize the meat and give it a glazed brown color.

- Servings: 8 servings
- Total time: 120 min
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Category: Dinner
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 4 lbs pork shoulder/butt roast
- 1 lb lard
- 12 oz Mexican coke
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 orange
- 0.5 white onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 4 bay leaves
- fresh thyme
- fresh rosemary
- fresh oregano
- 0.5 tsp cumin
- 5 whole cloves
- 5 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 serving love

## Instructions

1. Begin by grabbing 4 pounds of pork shoulder butt roast, ensuring it is at room temperature, and patting it dry.
2. Cut the pork shoulder into large chunks.
3. Grab a deep pot and set it on medium-high heat.
4. Add 1 pound of lard to the pot and allow it to melt.
5. To the melted lard, add salt, black pepper, five whole cloves, and half a teaspoon of ground cumin, then mix.
6. Add the pieces of pork to the pot and allow them to brown for about 4 minutes on each side.
7. After 4 minutes, flip the pieces of meat over and allow that side to brown for another 4 minutes.
8. Remove the browned pieces of meat and repeat the process for any remaining meat.
9. Once all the meat has browned, reduce the heat to medium-low.
10. Add half a cup of water, 1 cup of evaporated milk, 12 ounces of Mexican Coke, the juice of one orange, the orange peel, half of an onion, five garlic cloves, four bay leaves, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and fresh oregano to the pot.
11. Add the rest of the browned meat back into the pot and mix everything.
12. Allow the carnitas to cook for 2 hours, moving the meat around approximately every 15 minutes to prevent sticking.
13. After 2 hours, the carnitas should be done and nicely browned all around.
14. Remove the carnitas from the lard and allow them to sit for a few minutes.
15. Chop the carnitas with a knife or pull them apart with your fingers.
16. Serve the carnitas with a squeeze of lemon juice, topped with onion, cilantro, and salsa for tacos or tortas.

## Equipment

- deep pot
- knife

## Tips

- The evaporated milk tenderizes the meat, and the Mexican Coke gives it a glazed brown color.
- Move the meat around every 15 minutes to prevent sticking.
- The carnitas should be very easy to come apart, even with your fingers.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1FbjVW4uXF/
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/53ef51a2-18ce-4b37-bc82-513c33459c10
- Extracted: 2026-02-17

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt