carnitas

[kahr-nee-tuhz, kahr-nee-tahs]

plural noun

Mexican Cooking.

1. small or shredded pieces of crisp roast pork, eaten as a snack, used as a filling for burritos, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of carnitas¹

< Mexican Spanish, plural of carnita, equivalent to Spanish carn ( e ) meat (< Latin carnem, accusative of carō flesh, meat) + -ita diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

Imagine the density of Pico-Union with the small-town feel of Boyle Heights and the fierce pride of South L.A., then mix in murals and nationally known Mexican restaurants — Carnitas Uruapan, Taqueria El Milagro.

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Ayala-Uribe’s family has organized a fundraiser, selling tamales, carnitas and pozole on Saturday, to raise money for his funeral.

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Restaurants everywhere are already feeling the pinch of fear take hold in their communities, including Carbajal of Carnitas Uruapan, who said business has dipped.

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Pilsen is also home to Cantón Regio, a Monterrey-style antojería with particularly good refried beans and flour tortillas, and Pochos, an all-day restaurant that sits right next-door to the Carnitas Uruapan original storefront.

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Or, for weeknight ease, think fast, cooked proteins you can scatter on top: shredded rotisserie chicken, cubed steak, smoky black beans, crispy glazed tofu, shredded carnitas or gyro slices.

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