Recipe: Home-Cooked Carnitas (Carnitas Caseras) (Mexican)

HOME-COOKED CARNITAS (CARNITAS CASERAS)

4 tbsp lard
3 lb pork, cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 medium white onion, roughly sliced
4 fresh marjoram sprigs (or scant 1/4 tsp dried marjoram)
4 fresh thyme sprigs (or scant 1/4 tsp dried thyme)
3 California bay leaves, broken up
10 peppercorns, crushed
1 orange, cut into eighths
1 cup milk
sea salt to taste

Heat the lard in a heavy pan, add the meat, and fry, stirring and turning it over from time to time, until lightly golden. about 8 minutes.

Add the onion and stir well. Cook for 8 minutes longer or until the meat is well browned (remove onion only if it has burned).

Add the remaining ingredients, cover the pan, and cook over low heat until the meat is just tender, not falling apart. about 20 minutes, depending on the quality of the meat. There should be plenty of pan juices.

Remove the lid, increase the heat, and fry, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the juices have been absorbed. about 10 minutes. Drain off the extra fat and serve.

Makes 6 servings
Source: The Art of Mexican Cooking