Carnitas, literally meaning “little meats”, is a dish of Mexican cuisine that originated in the state of Michoacán. Carnitas are made by braising or simmering pork in oil or preferably lard until tender. The process takes three to four hours, and the result is very tender and juicy meat, which is then typically served with chopped cilantro (coriander leaves), diced onion, salsa, guacamole, tortillas, and refried beans (frijoles refritos).

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Pork carnitas are traditionally made using the heavily marbled, rich Boston butt or picnic ham cuts of pork. The 6–16 lb (3–7 kg) sections are usually cut down to a workable (6–10 lb) size and seasoned heavily before slow braising or deep frying. Carnitas can also be made of chicken, using breasts or thighs, and cooking in a similar manner.

The traditional way to cook carnitas is in a copper pot (or any thick-bottomed pot that disperses the heat evenly), in a process similar to confit. Lard is used to cover the dish in proportion to the amount of meat being cooked. Once the lard has melted, pork and flavorings are added (usually salt, chili, cumin, oregano or Mexican oregano, marjoram, thyme, bay leaf, and crushed garlic cloves). Traditional carnitas are then made by a process of simmering the meat in the lard until tender over a very low heat. Once appropriate tenderness is achieved, the heat is turned up and the outside of the pork begins to crisp. At this stage, the collagen in the meat has broken down sufficiently to allow it to be pulled apart by hand or fork or chopped with a cleaver. The meat can then be used as an ingredient in tamales, tacos, tortas, and burritos.

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Hello my fellow home cooks! Welcome back to another episode of Uncle Bill’s Kitchen!

Today, I have a special treat for you. While living in Chicago, my friend, Jose, introduced me to a food that had such a flavor explosion, I had to find a way to make it at home.

In Central America (except Panama) and Mexico, an ear of corn, on or off the plant, is called “elote” (from the Nahuatl elotitutl, meaning tender cob). This term is also used in Mexican and Central American communities in the United States.

In the Andean countries (except for Venezuela and Colombia) as well as Uruguay and Paraguay,^[16] the term for elote is choclo, which comes from the quechua word chuqllu. In Venezuela it is referred to as jojoto. In Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Spain, it’s known as mazorca.

In El Salvador, Mexico, and the border states of the United States, elote is commonly eaten as a sweet or salty dish. It is most commonly boiled in water with salt or other spices such as tequesquite, epazote, the Santa Maria herb, or pericon. Then condiments such as butter, mayonnaise, and grated cheese called cotija, and in the case of Mexico, chile powder, lemon juice, and salt are added to the corn.^[17] Elote, sometimes called “elotes locos” or crazy corn, is also served at town fairs in Mesoamerica. Seasoned with mayo, sweet and sour sauce, ketchup, and mustard, Elote is served with a wooden stick in the center, like a popsicle, to help the consumer hold it.

In some regions of Mexico elotes are sold in the street by “eloteros”—people who walk around cities or towns with a cart selling elotes. They can cover large distances or just stay in one place; for example, at plazas or parks outside of stores or any location where there are large amounts of potential consumers.^[18] The customers can pick the elotes of their choice: hard or soft, small or large kernels, and whether to put it with sour cream, mayonnaise, liquid cheese, chile powder, grated cheese, or butter. The elotes are kept hot by putting them in the brazier where they were cooked. They should be served soon after they are done being cooked so they don’t change color or lose flavor. The elotes are usually boiled and transported wrapped in the husks,^[19] because cooking them in the husks gives them more flavor.

The eloteros also sell coal-grilled elotes (elotes asados). These elotes are splashed with salt water and grilled in the coals until the husks start to burn and the kernels reach a crunchy texture. In Central America, it is custom to grill elote during the first harvest of the year –the end of June until the beginning of September. During this time, women can be seen on the sides of the highway next to the cornfields selling grilled elote seasoned with lime juice and salt.