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Tacos of Carnitas Roasted with Orange, Milk, and Pepper

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Tacos of Carnitas Roasted with Orange, Milk, and PepperSara Remington

Many years ago, I worked with a cook who introduced me to this method of roasting pork with milk and fresh orange. Jose has long since retired to his little pueblo in Michoacan, but his recipe lives on in my kitchen simply because it so delicious. Pork cooked this way is moist and succulent, sweet from the natural caramelization of the milk, with the slightest hint of orange and black pepper. For an over-the-top garnish, crumble chicharrón (fried pork skin) on the soft roast meat for a porky, crunchy textural contrast. Serve the carnitas with warm corn tortillas, avocado, a crisp raw tomatillo salsa, and plenty of onions and cilantro. If you have access to heirloom pork such as Kurobuta or Berkshire, it's exceptionally delicious—pork the way pork was meant to taste.

Note:

Mexican markets and some restaurants and tortillerias sell freshly fried chicharrón espumas, which are light-years better than the bagged ones. Chicharrón make an excellent taco in their own right when cooked until soft with tomatoes and chiles, then served with a sprinkle of cotixa cheese and raw onion.

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