Chipotle Carnitas (Copycat Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What does Chipotle use in their carnitas? ›

What are carnitas at Chipotle made of? According to the Chipotle ingredient statement, their carnitas are made with pork, sunflower oil, bay leaves, thyme, juniper berries, salt, and black pepper.

In 2015, Chipotle stopped serving carnitas in many locations due to concerns about the quality of pork used by one of its suppliers. The supplier was not meeting Chipotle's standards for animal welfare, and the company decided to suspend the use of carnitas until it could find a new supplier that met its standards.

I've made carnitas many times using a completely different method and it turned out pretty good. But it is important to note that the traditional way to make carnitas is by slow cooking it in lard. I think it also gives it a more authentic taste. Seasoning- Salt, Mexican oregano, cumin, & black pepper.

Pork Carnitas Seasoning

Pork shoulder is extra flavorful thanks to kosher salt, a chopped onion, fresh garlic, lime juice, chili powder, dried oregano, and ground cumin.

Their key flavor differences come from the type of meat they're made with, and the spices and seasonings Chipotle uses to jazz them up. Both types offer slowly braised and shredded meat, but carnitas are made from pork and a bit sweeter while barbacoa is made from beef and is spicier.

Barbacoa is made with a combination of smoky chili peppers and aromatic spices like oregano, cloves, and bay leaf. It has a bold, smoky, spicy flavor. Carnitas is made with a blend of seasonings and spices including juniper berries, thyme, and bay leaves. It has a softer, savory, slightly sweet flavor.

The underlying issue behind the Chipotle scandal was a failure in food safety management. Deficiencies were identified in food handling procedures, employee hygiene practices, and supply chain monitoring. These shortcomings allowed for product contamination and the subsequent spread of infections among customers.

Chorizo is known for its deep, rich flavor with a bit of spice. Chipotle's plant-based version features chipotle peppers, ripe tomato paste, crushed garlic, Spanish smoked paprika and extra-virgin olive oil combined with natural pea protein.

The lawsuit claims that Chipotle violated federal civil rights law protecting employees and job applicants from discrimination based on religion, race, ethnicity, sex and national origin.

The orange juice in the cooking liquid provides acidity that helps break down the meat so it's extra tender and juicy.

Why do you add milk to carnitas? ›

Adding the oranges is very much like braising pork Cuban-style for the traditional cubano sandwich. The milk acts as a tenderizer, a secret I learned while growing up watching dad make his carnitas which, by the way, were always exceptionally tender.

Step One: The trick to getting the most flavorful carnitas, is to sear the pork before allowing it to braise for hours. First, season the pork with a liberal sprinkle of salt and then sear the pork pieces on both sides until golden brown in avocado oil. Browning the meat helps to develop a rich deep flavor.

The carnitas at Chipotle is pork that is slow cooked with seasonings including juniper berries, thyme and bay leaves. After the meat is cooked, it is shredded then ready to go into any number of Mexican style dishes.

Pork shoulder: Traditionally, carnitas is made with pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) because of its higher fat content. The fat helps to keep the meat extremely juicy and tender while cooking.

Yes, you could make carnitas using vegetable oil instead of lard. But as they say, life is short. At the restaurant, we render the lard ourselves— something you can do if you can find extra-fatty pork. But for ready-to go lard, check out your local butcher shop or Mexican market.

Rice bran oil is our primary cooking oil at Chipotle. Its high smoke point - the temperature at which the oil starts, well, smoking - makes it suitable for high-temperature cooking like grilling, while its mild taste makes it versatile.

Our steak, meanwhile, comes from all over: bottom rounds, top rounds, eye of rounds, inside round, outside round, sirloin, knuckle, ball tip, and sirloin top. You get the picture. Lots of rounds. These cuts hold up to the heat of the grill, giving each bite a nicely charred outside and a perfect medium-rare inside.

We use actual juniper berries to season our Carnitas - no added flavors or juniper-berry-like substitutes. With a distinct, pungent flavor and aroma that stands up to rich, meaty dishes, juniper berries are typically sold dried, then crushed to release their flavor.