Kurobuta Pork

Carnitas are a staple of many taco and torta stands in Mexico. Though pork came into the country when it was colonized by the Spanish. 

The low-and-slow process of cooking the pork in lard is similar to the French technique of confit and makes the meat flavorful and tender. Though some folks will add spices, orange juice, or even condensed milk to flavor and tenderize their carnitas, we’re going classic with this recipe – just pork, lard, and salt. With Snake River Farms Kurobuta pork collar, we want the flavor of the meat to shine through and with this process, there’s no need to add anything else. Carnitas traditionally are made with all parts of the pig, so feel free to take this method and try out other cuts of meat, like Snake River Farms pork shanks, pork belly, or ribs. 

To build the tacos, we’re using the traditional toppings used in Michoacan – verduras en vinagre or escabeche. The bite from the vinegar cuts through the fattiness of the pork and adds a nice crunch from the pickled vegetables. Lastly, we’ll top them off with salsa de tomate. It’s a recipe from my mother-in-law, who’s from Guadalajara, Mexico, that’s made with roasted chile de arbol and tomatillos. The acid from the tomatillos, roasted flavor, and heat from the chiles compliments the porkiness of the carnitas without overpowering the flavor. 

Chef Katy Osuna trained at the International Culinary Center in California and did her externship at the Michelin starred Plumed Horse in Saratoga and worked for a year and a half as a chef de partie at Three-Michelin-Star Manresa. “Be a Girl” season one of her podcast “Copper & Heat” focuses on the experience of being a woman working in fine dining kitchens and won the 2019 James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Award for Best Podcast.