The taco filling made from pork slow-cooked in lard is carnitas. The name means “little meats” in Spanish and refers to tender, browned pieces of Mexican-style braised pork.
Traditional carnitas are made from fatty cuts such as pork shoulder, Boston butt, or picnic ham. The pork is seasoned and slowly simmered in lard until its connective tissue breaks down. Near the end, the heat is raised so the outside becomes crisp while the interior remains juicy and shreddable.
Carnitas are strongly associated with the Mexican state of Michoacán, although they are now served throughout Mexico and internationally. The meat commonly appears in tacos with corn tortillas, chopped onion, cilantro, salsa, and sometimes guacamole or pickled vegetables. It can also fill tortas, burritos, tamales, and other dishes.
Carnitas are often confused with cochinita pibil and al pastor. Cochinita pibil is Yucatecan pork marinated with achiote and citrus, traditionally pit-cooked in banana leaves. Al pastor uses a different marinade and is traditionally cooked on a vertical spit. The defining feature of carnitas is the slow cooking and final crisping in fat.