The Mexican dish of braised or roasted pork often used as a filling is carnitas.
Carnitas are made by slowly cooking pork until it becomes tender, traditionally through braising, simmering, and then frying the meat in lard, its own fat, or cooking oil. The name literally means “little meats.” Rich, well-marbled cuts such as pork shoulder or picnic ham are especially suitable because their fat and connective tissue keep the meat moist during the long cooking process.
The preparation commonly takes several hours. As the pork cooks, it becomes soft enough to shred or pull apart, while the final frying or browning step creates crisp edges and concentrated flavor. Carnitas are often served in tortillas with chopped onion, cilantro, salsa, guacamole, and lime, although they can also fill burritos, quesadillas, tortas, or other dishes.
Carnitas are strongly associated with the Mexican state of Michoacán, though versions are now widespread throughout Mexico and Mexican-American cooking. They are sometimes confused with other pork preparations: cochinita pibil is Yucatán-style pork traditionally cooked with achiote, al pastor is marinated pork cooked on a vertical spit, and barbacoa refers to a broader slow-cooking tradition that commonly uses lamb, beef, or other meats.