We used to eat them in Tijuana, cant remember the name of the place, something like the 3 little pigs. It was down the road from The Tijuana Country Club.
It is a fairly simple process, but some find laborious and messy. You want Traditional...Get a big copper kettle, cut a pork butt into about 10 pieces and cook it in Lard till it is tender, then with a big ole cleaver on about a 4 ft cutting board with about a 3 inch indentation it from 50 years of doing this, you hack the big pork into small chunks. You immediately take that to the table, with a basket of fresh made corn tortillas, a plate of highly seasoned beans, and another plate of garnishes, down there it was cilantro, onions, radishes and limes. And then you dig in!
It truly was that simple.
That is my tradition of Carnitas. I have seen folks cook them in water and spices till tender and the reduce and call Carnitas. I have seen people add all kinds of stuff to the lard before it is cooked and then fry and call it traditional...I guess it depends on who you ask and what part of Mexico you are in as to how authentic it is...
Recipe should feed 10-15 people.
1 Pork Butt cut into baseball size chunks. Do not trim fat.
1 gallon Lard
24 Corn Tortillas
1 bunch cilantro (I hate the stuff)
3 large Spanish onions fine chop
3 bunches radishes
10 limes (again, not my cup of tea with pork)
5 cans refried beans.
Melt Lard in pan, cook pork on as low a heat as you can, usually 30-45 minutes, string occasionally. Should probe tender when it is ready. Let rest 5 minutes, chop into small chunks, serve with beans and condiments.