Pork cooked in lard with milk and Coca-Cola until fall-apart tender, then crisped. Traditional Michoacán method.
Mexican Coca-Cola (with cane sugar) is traditional, but any cola works. The milk curdles into bits that crisp up beautifully.
This makes a lot. Freezes well for 3 months. Save all the rendered lard-it's now pork-flavored gold.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 3 lb boneless pork shoulder
- 1 lb pork belly, skin removed
- 2 lb lard
- 1 cup whole milk
- 12 oz Coca-Cola (Mexican preferred)
- 2 whole orange, juiced
- 1 whole lime, juiced
- 1 head garlic head, halved crosswise
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 2 whole serrano chiles
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 1 ½ tbsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 3 lb boneless pork shoulder
- 1 lb pork belly, skin removed
- 2 lb lard
- 1 cup whole milk
- 12 oz Coca-Cola (Mexican preferred)
- 2 whole orange, juiced
- 1 whole lime, juiced
- 1 head garlic head, halved crosswise
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 2 whole serrano chiles
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 1 ½ tbsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
Instructions
Prep the meat
Cut pork shoulder into 2-inch chunks. Cut pork belly into 1-inch strips. Season all meat generously with salt, cumin, and oregano. Let sit 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- pork shoulder (3 lb)
- pork belly (1 lb)
- salt (1 ½ tbsp)
- cumin (2 tsp)
- oregano (1 tbsp)
Start the base
Melt lard in large Dutch oven over medium heat (325-350°F surface). Add pork, garlic, onion, serranos, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves.
Equipment
- large Dutch oven or heavy pot
Ingredients
- lard (2 lb)
- garlic (1 head)
- onion (1 large)
- serranos (2 whole)
- cinnamon (1 whole)
- bay leaves (3 whole)
Add the liquids
Pour in orange juice, lime juice, milk, and cola. Liquid will foam-stir gently. Pork should be mostly submerged in fat and liquid.
Equipment
- large Dutch oven or heavy pot
Ingredients
- orange juice (2 whole)
- lime juice (1 whole)
- milk (1 cup)
- cola (12 oz)
Confit until tender
Bring to gentle simmer. Cook uncovered 3-3.5 hours, stirring occasionally. Liquid will evaporate. Pork is done when very tender and fat is clear. Meat will start to fry in the fat near the end.
Equipment
- large Dutch oven or heavy pot
Shred and crisp
Transfer pork to sheet pan with slotted spoon. Shred with forks. Spoon some fat over pork. Broil 5-6 minutes until deeply crispy. Toss and broil again.
Equipment
- sheet pan
Warm the tortillas and serve
Serve immediately with warm corn tortillas, salsa verde, and pickled jalapeños.
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Mexican Coca-Cola (with cane sugar) is traditional, but any cola works.
- • The milk curdles into bits that crisp up beautifully.
- • This makes a lot. Freezes well for 3 months.
- • Save all the rendered lard-it's now pork-flavored gold.
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