Carnitas Plate

Ingredients

• 5 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup lard or vegetable oil
• 1 orange, halved
• 1 white onion, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 cups cooked pinto beans
• 4 cups Spanish rice
• 16 corn tortillas, 6 inch
• 1 cup diced white onion
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Before you cook

• Cut the pork shoulder into 2-inch cubes.
• Toss the pork with the salt, black pepper, cumin and oregano and leave it for 20 minutes.
• Quarter the onion and smash the garlic cloves.
• Dice the extra white onion and chop the cilantro for garnish.

Steps

1. Melt the lard in a wide Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the seasoned pork in a single layer and let it sizzle for 10 minutes without stirring.
3. Squeeze both orange halves over the pot and drop the spent shells in.
4. Add the quartered onion, garlic, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and milk.
5. Bring the pot to a gentle bubble, then lower the heat so it barely moves.
6. Cook uncovered for 3 hours, stirring every half hour, until the pork is tender enough to crush and the liquid has cooked away into clear fat.
7. Fish out the orange shells, onion, bay leaves and cinnamon.
8. Heat the broiler with a rack 6 inches from the element.
9. Lift the pork onto a sheet pan with a slotted spoon and spread it out, then shred each piece roughly with two forks.
10. Spoon 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat over the pork.
11. Broil the pork for 5 minutes, until the edges are brown and crisp.
12. Toss the pork with a spatula and broil 3 minutes more.
13. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet for 15 seconds a side.
14. Serve the carnitas with beans, rice, tortillas, diced onion, cilantro and lime wedges.