Carnitas Estilo Michoacán

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg boneless pork shoulder, cut into 6 cm chunks
• 500 g pork belly, cut into 6 cm chunks
• 500 g pork ribs, separated
• 1.5 kg pork lard
• 2 tbsp fine salt
• 1 head of garlic, halved across the middle
• 1 orange, halved
• 250 ml whole milk
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 30 g piloncillo or dark brown sugar
• 24 corn tortillas
• 2 white onions, finely diced
• 1 large bunch coriander, chopped
• 4 limes, cut into wedges
• 300 g salsa verde

Before you cook

• Cut the shoulder and belly into large even chunks and separate the ribs.
• Season all the pork with the salt and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Dice the onions and chop the coriander for the table.
• Halve the head of garlic across the middle and halve the orange.

Steps

1. Melt the lard in a large heavy pot or copper cazo over medium heat.
2. Lower the pork chunks into the melted lard, adding them in one layer if the pot allows.
3. Bring the lard to a bare simmer, with bubbles just breaking the surface around the meat.
4. Add the garlic halves, bay leaves and thyme.
5. Squeeze the orange halves into the pot and drop in the spent shells.
6. Cook at that lazy simmer for 1 hour 45 minutes, moving the meat gently once or twice.
7. Test a chunk of shoulder: it should give completely when pressed with a spoon.
8. Pour in the milk and add the piloncillo, standing back as the fat spits.
9. Raise the heat and cook for 20 to 25 minutes more, until the milk sugars catch on the meat and the outsides turn deep golden and crisp.
10. Lift the pork onto a rack with a slotted spoon and let it drain for 5 minutes.
11. Chop the pork roughly on a board, mixing crisp edges with soft interior.
12. Warm the corn tortillas on a dry comal for 20 seconds a side.
13. Pile the carnitas onto the tortillas.
14. Serve with diced onion, coriander, lime wedges and salsa verde.