Michoacán
Carnitas: orange-milk pork.
Carnitas Michoacanas
Pork shoulder slow-confited in lard inside a copper cazo with orange, bay, salt, and a splash of...
View page →Michoacán is central-western Mexico with Lake Pátzcuaro at its heart — the Purépecha (Tarascan) indigenous people developed a sophisticated cuisine here long before the Spanish arrived. Carnitas Michoacanas are the regional pride — pork shoulder slow-cooked in lard with orange, milk, and bay leaves until the outside crisps and the inside falls apart. Uchepos are fresh-corn tamales (vs the more common dried-corn version) — sweeter, lighter, made when the corn is in season. Corundas are triangular tamales steamed in folded green corn-plant (cane) leaves — not the dried corn husks used for ordinary tamales. Sopa Tarasca is the bean-tomato-pasilla chile soup with tortilla strips and crema. The Purépecha lake produces pescado blanco (whitefish), eaten with pickled onion. The cuisine is the most-indigenous of Mexican regional kitchens, with Purépecha techniques alive in the daily cooking.
The Palate
Dishes to explore
Carnitas Michoacanas
Pork shoulder cubes simmered in lard with orange peel, milk, bay leaves, and salt for 2-3 hours until the milk caramelizes and the outside crisps. Served on tortillas with onion, cilantro, salsa verde.
Carnitas Michoacanas are the regional masterclass in slow-pork cooking. The orange and milk are the Michoacán secret — they brown the pork from the inside out.
Uchepos
Fresh sweet corn ground while still moist, mixed with cream and a little sugar, wrapped in corn husks, steamed. Served warm with cream and salsa verde.
Uchepos are seasonal Michoacán — only made when sweet corn is in. The fresh-corn version is sweeter and lighter than the year-round dried-corn tamales.
The Pantry
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Other regions
Siblings within Mexican — each its own tradition.