Oven-Braised Crispy Pork Carnitas

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the lower third.
   325°F
2. Toss the pork with the salt, cumin, oregano and pepper in a large Dutch oven.
3. Add the quartered onion, garlic, orange juice and peels, lime juice, bay leaves and water. Spread the pork in an even layer.
4. Bring to a

   simmer (how to simmer)

   Simmer Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then. 1. Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.2. As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.3. Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.4. Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil. Done when: You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to simmer: mistakes to avoid

   on the stove over medium-high heat, then cover and move the pot to the oven.
5. Braise (how to braise)

   Braise Brown food, then cook it slowly, covered, partly submerged in liquid until it is very tender. 1. Brown the meat well in a heavy pot and set it aside.2. Soften the onions and vegetables in the same pot.3. Pour in the liquid and scrape up the browned bits.4. Return the meat; the liquid should come about halfway up it.5. Cover and cook at a bare simmer on the stove or in a 300 to 325°F oven for hours. Done when: A fork slides in and twists with no resistance, and the meat pulls apart. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to braise meat and vegetables: mistakes to avoid

   until the pork is fork-tender and falls apart easily, far past the safe 145°F (63°C).
   325°F⏱ Braise: 2 hr 30 min
6. Lift out and throw away the orange peels, onion pieces and bay leaves.
7. Move the pork to a rimmed sheet pan with a slotted spoon and

   shred (how to shred)

   Shred Pull cooked meat (or cabbage and other vegetables) into thin strands. 1. Let cooked meat cool just until you can handle it, and take out any bones.2. Hold the piece in place with one fork.3. Drag a second fork through it, following the grain, so it pulls apart in strands.4. Toss the strands with a spoonful of the cooking juices so they stay moist. Done when: The meat pulls apart with almost no effort. If it fights you, it needs more cooking time. Safety: Meat straight from the pot holds steam inside; open it up and let it cool for a few minutes first.How to shred cooked meat with two forks: mistakes to avoid

   it into bite-size pieces with two forks.
8. Spoon the fat off the cooking liquid, then drizzle about 1/2 cup of the liquid over the pork.
9. Move an oven rack to about 6 inches below the broiler and turn the broiler to high.
10. Broil (how to broil)

    Broil Cook or brown food with strong heat from the top of the oven, like an upside-down grill. 1. Move an oven rack so the food will sit 3 to 6 inches from the heat.2. Turn the broiler on and give it a few minutes to heat.3. Use a metal pan (never glass that isn't broiler-safe) and put the food in.4. Stay at the oven and check every minute; things go from brown to burnt fast.5. Turn the food if the recipe says to. Done when: The top is browned and bubbly or charred in spots, usually in 1 to 5 minutes. Safety: Don't use parchment or wax paper under the broiler; it can catch fire. Use foil or a bare pan.How to broil: mistakes to avoid

    until the edges of the pork are brown and crispy.
    ⏱ Broil: 5 min
11. Stir the pork, drizzle with a little more liquid and broil again until crisp in spots. Watch closely so it doesn't burn.
12. Serve in warm tortillas with diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges and salsa.

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Tips

• Pork shoulder is safe at 145°F, but it only gets tender enough to shred at about 195°F to 205°F, so cook it by tenderness.
• Crisp only what you'll eat right away; store the rest soft in its liquid and crisp it fresh.
• Use a separate cutting board for raw meat, and wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after handling it.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours, up to 4 days. Store in some of the cooking liquid. Freeze up to 3 months.

Make ahead

Braise and shred up to 3 days ahead. Crisp under the broiler or in a hot skillet just before serving.

Cook once, eat twice: Double it (16 servings instead of 8), eat half and freeze the other half. It keeps 3 months frozen, by the storage note above. Print a freezer label · More freezer meals

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.