Pork Carnitas

Steps

1. Cut the pork picnic shoulder into large, even cubes of about five centimeters, keeping the fat cap to nourish the meat while it simmers.
2. Peel the yellow onions and cut them into large wedges. Crush the garlic cloves with the flat of the blade without removing the skins. Squeeze the untreated sweet oranges to collect the juice and keep half of one thoroughly cleaned peel.
3. Melt the pure pork lard over low heat in a large cast iron Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot until it becomes translucent and slightly simmering.
4. Place the pork pieces in the hot fat. Pour in the freshly squeezed orange juice, natural mineral water and whole evaporated milk. Add the onion wedges, crushed garlic cloves, reserved orange peel, Mexican cinnamon stick, dried bay leaves, Mexican dried oregano and coarse grey sea salt.
5. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting as soon as the first bubbles appear. Cover the Dutch oven three quarters of the way and simmer very gently for about two and a half hours, carefully turning the pieces every thirty minutes with a slotted spoon, until the meat yields without resistance to the blade of a knife.
6. Completely uncover the Dutch oven and turn the heat up to medium. Let bubble for about thirty minutes to evaporate the remaining water, until the steam stops and gives way to a distinct crackling in the pure lard. Remove and discard the orange peel, cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
7. Slightly increase the heat and brown the meat in its own fat for ten to fifteen minutes, stirring carefully. Continue frying until you get a beautiful crispy mahogany color on the surface while preserving the soft interior.
8. Remove the browned pieces of meat using a slotted spoon. Place them on a wire rack or an inclined board to let the excess fat drain, then let rest for five minutes so the juices stabilize.
9. Roughly chop the meat with a large chef knife on a wooden board or shred it using two forks, keeping some nice chunks to preserve the contrast between the crispy crust and juicy meat. Serve immediately.