I want to begin this article by apologizing to all those who do not eat meat for any reason. Please know that you have our deepest admiration, and thanks to you, the world is indeed a better place. This article will express my love for meat, but I will also provide some relevant facts about an essential ingredient in Mexican cuisine that truly gives us our identity: pork. So please, stay with us just this one.
Pork in the Americas
Pork was introduced to the American continent in 1493 during Christopher Columbus’s second expedition. On that occasion, he arrived in what is now the Dominican Republic and Haiti with eight pigs.
Various subsequent expeditions, such as those made by the Spanish, French, and English, spread different varieties of pigs throughout the continent. Today, from Argentina to Canada, pork has played a significant role in feeding people. Each country and region has developed their own recipes and ways of enjoying this delicacy. For example, I’m thinking of a plate of pulled pork with a bun on the side and my mouth is starting to water.
Carnitas!
I don’t want to overwhelm you with a long list. I’d like to discuss a simple yet delicious dish: carnitas.
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The preparation is quite simple. Lard is melted in a large pot. Once it’s liquid (but not boiling), the cleaned and cubed pork is added — along with all the other parts of the pig, because in this country nothing goes to waste. Then, orange juice, a bulb of garlic, a variety of herbs, and salt are added. Some places also add Coca-Cola (secretly the most Mexican ingredient of them all) for flavor and color, and condensed milk to soften the meat. This mixture is left to cook for 3 hours or more until it becomes crispy and golden on the outside, and tender and pink on the inside.
When the carnitas are ready, you gather your family or friends. When everyone is at the table, put the carnitas at the center accompanied by a bunch of tortillas, limes, salsas, chopped cilantro, chopped onions, and pickled jalapeños. With all the confidence and informality the occasion allows, you dive into the tortillas and start making your taco. Grab your tortilla, carefully select your most desired pieces of carnitas, put salsa or jalapeños, cilantro, and onion and squeeze a lime. The lime juice will bring together all the flavors of your taco. Finally, lovingly close the tortilla and “provecho.”
The first Mexican dish?
Carnitas can be found all over the country, but the best ones are in the central states of Mexico. Michoacán is first, followed by Guanajuato, Estado de México, and Hidalgo. They all claim to be the originators and undoubtedly have the best recipes. Carnitas emerged almost simultaneously in these states, but there are no documents to prove who was the first to prepare and eat carnitas as we know them today.
The belief that carnitas are the first mestizo dish because they combine Spanish pork and pre-Hispanic tortillas is incorrect. According to early chronicles of the Spanish conquest, a banquet took place where pigs from Cuba and cornbread (how Spaniards referred to tortillas) were consumed separately. Despite this, hundreds of years later, in the book “Cocina Mexicana” (1967) by the Mexican writer Salvador Novo, he mentioned that carnitas tacos were served during this banquet. I have a deep love and respect for the writer, but it seems like he never read — or at least paid attention to — the chronicle as it does not mention carnitas tacos being served. This misconception has persisted to this day, and recently a senator urged people on social media not to eat carnitas tacos to avoid celebrating our Spanish heritage. Waaaaaaay too much, if you ask me.
In any case, whenever you encounter carnitas and an image like the one below, I highly recommend trying a carnitas taco. You’ll thank me later.
María Meléndez is a Mexico City food blogger and influencer.
