Coca-Cola's phosphoric acid breaks down pork fibers in 3 hours—Mexican carnitas masters discovered this accidentally in the 1980s.
Carnitas
Dive into the delicious world of homemade Carnitas, where succulent pork meets the sweet magic of Coca-Cola for an irresistibly tender bite! With a simple blend of spices and a slow-cooking technique, you'll create mouthwatering meat that's perfect for tacos or a hearty burrito. Get ready to impress your taste buds and your friends with this flavorful fiesta favorite!
Prep
30
min
Cook
45
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This Michoacán masterpiece hit American consciousness when 1960s Californian farmworkers brought their family recipes north, but the real plot twist happened in Mexico City's street stalls where vendors started splashing Coca-Cola into the braising liquid—the phosphoric acid tenderizes pork faster than any fancy French technique, proving sometimes the best culinary innovations come from pure desperation and corner-shop availability.
Regional Twist
In Guadalajara's Tlaquepaque district, they replace the Coca-Cola with fresh orange juice and add chunks of pineapple, creating a sweeter carnitas that pairs with their famous clay-fired tortillas.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- ½ liter coca-cola
- 2 packages lard
- 1 whole orange
- 2 lbs (907 g) pork shoulder
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- bay leaves (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- onion (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cut the pork shoulder into small pieces and season with olive oil and spices.
- 2
Mix everything well and place in a pressure cooker, frying in one package of lard.
- 3
Once the meat is crispy, remove it and add the second package of lard to the pot.
- 4
Add the chopped onion, garlic, orange juice and zest, bay leaves, and Coca-Cola.
- 5
Return the meat to the pot and simmer for 45 minutes.
- 6
Crisp the shredded meat in the oven under the broiler.
- 7
Prepare fresh tortillas or use store-bought.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cut pork shoulder into 2-3 inch chunks rather than small pieces to prevent overcooking during the 45-minute braise, as smaller pieces will break down into mush and lose the ideal shredded texture.technique2-3 inch chunks
- ✓Render the lard at 275-300°F to achieve proper browning without burning, as lard has a smoke point of 370°F and you need controlled heat for the Maillard reaction.technique275-300°F
- ✓Use Mexican Coca-Cola if available because the cane sugar caramelizes better than corn syrup during braising, creating deeper flavor compounds and better browning when crisping.ingredient
- ✓Broil the shredded carnitas for 3-5 minutes maximum at 500°F, watching constantly, because the sugar from Coca-Cola will burn quickly and turn bitter beyond this point.timing3-5 minutes at 500°F
- ✓Reserve 1/4 cup of the braising liquid before shredding to toss with the meat before broiling, as this adds moisture and helps create crispy edges while preventing the interior from drying out.technique1/4 cup braising liquid
Share this recipe
Prep
30
min
Cook
45
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Coca-Cola's phosphoric acid breaks down pork fibers in 3 hours—Mexican carnitas masters discovered this accidentally in the 1980s.
Carnitas
Dive into the delicious world of homemade Carnitas, where succulent pork meets the sweet magic of Coca-Cola for an irresistibly tender bite! With a simple blend of spices and a slow-cooking technique, you'll create mouthwatering meat that's perfect for tacos or a hearty burrito. Get ready to impress your taste buds and your friends with this flavorful fiesta favorite!
The Story
This Michoacán masterpiece hit American consciousness when 1960s Californian farmworkers brought their family recipes north, but the real plot twist happened in Mexico City's street stalls where vendors started splashing Coca-Cola into the braising liquid—the phosphoric acid tenderizes pork faster than any fancy French technique, proving sometimes the best culinary innovations come from pure desperation and corner-shop availability.
Regional Twist
In Guadalajara's Tlaquepaque district, they replace the Coca-Cola with fresh orange juice and add chunks of pineapple, creating a sweeter carnitas that pairs with their famous clay-fired tortillas.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- ½ liter coca-cola
- 2 packages lard
- 1 whole orange
- 2 lbs (907 g) pork shoulder
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- bay leaves (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- onion (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cut the pork shoulder into small pieces and season with olive oil and spices.
- 2
Mix everything well and place in a pressure cooker, frying in one package of lard.
- 3
Once the meat is crispy, remove it and add the second package of lard to the pot.
- 4
Add the chopped onion, garlic, orange juice and zest, bay leaves, and Coca-Cola.
- 5
Return the meat to the pot and simmer for 45 minutes.
- 6
Crisp the shredded meat in the oven under the broiler.
- 7
Prepare fresh tortillas or use store-bought.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cut pork shoulder into 2-3 inch chunks rather than small pieces to prevent overcooking during the 45-minute braise, as smaller pieces will break down into mush and lose the ideal shredded texture.technique2-3 inch chunks
- ✓Render the lard at 275-300°F to achieve proper browning without burning, as lard has a smoke point of 370°F and you need controlled heat for the Maillard reaction.technique275-300°F
- ✓Use Mexican Coca-Cola if available because the cane sugar caramelizes better than corn syrup during braising, creating deeper flavor compounds and better browning when crisping.ingredient
- ✓Broil the shredded carnitas for 3-5 minutes maximum at 500°F, watching constantly, because the sugar from Coca-Cola will burn quickly and turn bitter beyond this point.timing3-5 minutes at 500°F
- ✓Reserve 1/4 cup of the braising liquid before shredding to toss with the meat before broiling, as this adds moisture and helps create crispy edges while preventing the interior from drying out.technique1/4 cup braising liquid