Carnitas are Chipotle's only permanent pork offering on its menu, but one thing you might not know is that its version isn't exactly a traditional one. For starters, the carnitas at Chipotle are cooked in a slightly different manner than is traditional. Mexican carnitas are typically braised and then crisped up in their own fat, but according to Chipotle's , its version is always simply braised, then shredded by hand — no lard-based crisping involved.
The cooking method is one thing, but there's also a difference in the way Chipotle seasons its pork. Some traditional recipes use a combination of onion, garlic, dried oregano, oranges (sour ones, if you can get them), and various other herbs and spices, but Chipotle's version opts for a unique blend of salt, black pepper, thyme, ground bay leaf, and most interesting of all, cracked juniper berries. The juniper berries are the true outlier, because they're often associated with a certain spirit that's not related to carnitas whatsoever.
Juniper berries are a key ingredient in gin Aromatic juniper berries have a very concentrated, pine-like flavor with a strong spice component. In fact, they're what give gin its distinctive and complex flavor, in case you're wondering why the mere mention is making you crave a martini (in case you're curious, here's ). That's why Chipotle's choice in using juniper berries is a bit of a swerve.
Pine notes aren't exactly a taste you imagine when you think of a pork dish, but where gin is concerne.
