Carnitas with Coca-Cola

These delicious Carnitas with Coca-Cola are a dish we enjoy alot and often in our family. We are not big Coca-Cola drinkers and rather have a glass of water for lunch, but Coca Cola as a glazing on our meat we enjoy alot.

The carnitas in Mexico, are a traditional dish of the state of Michoacan. These are prepared in a copper cazo (pot). They are moist and juicy in the inside and crispy on the outside, a real treat of the Mexican cuisine! But like many dishes, it takes time and several ingredients to enjoy this delicious dish. Many years ago I bought a recipe book that shared many recipes that are prepared using Coca-Cola, and these carnitas are one of those dishes. Do not be fooled by the few ingredients that the recipe contains, although they are not the original carnitas, these delicious Carnitas with Coca-Cola are finger licking good!

The traditional way to cook carnitas is in a copper cazo (or any thick-bottomed pot). The copper pot distributes the heat evenly around the meat. Traditional carnitas are made by simmering the meat in pig 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  tacos, tortas, and burritos.

We usually don’t cook our version of carnitas for so long but if you have the time to cook them for a few hours you can cover them in a bit more Coca- Cola and cook them at a very low heat for a few hours until the meat can be pulled apart.

Youtube video of the recipe: https://youtu.be/8dRG3MYD5lQ

Carnitas with Coca Cola

Pork tenderloin cooked in Coca Cola

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

• 800 g pork tenderloin cut into small pieces
• 750 ml Coca Cola
• 8 tbsp cooking oil
• salt

Instructions

 

• Heat up the oil in a frying pan and add the meat to seal the meat pieces until it turns white
• add salt to your liking
• add the Coca Cola and cover the pan. Get it to a boil and then reduce to medium heat and uncover the pan. Cook until the liquid reduces and caramelizes
• add more Coca Cola (50ml) and continue to cook until the liquid reduces, if you want it to be more caramelized

Video

Keyword Coca-Cola, Easy, Quick