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Carnitas (Crispy, Tender Mexican Pork)

Carnitas—literally “little meats”—are one of Mexico’s most iconic pork dishes, and this double-pork carnitas recipe (belly and shoulder) delivers a flavorful, unfussy take built around two things: great meat and patience.

This streamlined recipe strips out the citrus, spices, and other aromatics typical of many carnitas recipes, keeping the braise intentionally simple. The payoff comes in the final step, when the pork is crisped in its own fat, yielding juicy, shreddy meat with deeply browned, crackly edges and concentrated pork flavor.

Once the meat is cooked, make carnitas tacos by filling warm corn tortillas with the shredded pork and topping with fresh cilantro, sliced avocado or guacamole, salsa verde or habanero jam, finely chopped white onion, or a dollop of crema.

What are carnitas?

Carnitas are a traditional Mexican dish made by slowly cooking pork—usually pork shoulder—until tender, then crisping it in its own fat. The result is meat that’s both juicy and crispy, typically served in tacos with simple toppings like onion, cilantro, and lime.

What cut is best for carnitas? Is pork belly essential?

Boneless pork shoulder (also called pork butt or Boston butt) is the classic choice for carnitas because it becomes tender and shreddable as it cooks.

Pork belly adds richness to this carnitas recipe and yields extra-delicious, crispy bits, but it’s not required. Pork shoulder alone will produce very good carnitas—just slightly leaner and less varied in texture.

Why aren’t my carnitas getting crispy?

The final frying step is essential. The pork should be cooked in batches in a wide skillet so it actually fries in rendered fat rather than steams. Overcrowding is the most common reason carnitas turn out soft instead of crisp.

Can I add spices, citrus, or aromatics?

Many carnitas recipes use cumin, bay leaf, orange, garlic, or beer in place of some of the broth. This version is designed to work without them, producing deeply flavored shreds of pork that let the meat’s flavor shine. That said, you should feel free to put your own spin on the recipe.

  

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Food

The Best Wine Fridges for Tiny Spaces, Major Collections, and Everything in Between (2026)

This is a serious refrigerator for people who don’t play around with their wine collection. The single-zone La Premiere L is able to hold 146-200+ bottles of various shapes. The final number depends on how you arrange your wine horizontally, vertically, or stacked. Raftery notes that the EuroCave La Premiere is always the most reliable for bottles of all shapes and sizes. You can often find these fridges in restaurants which have a great wine program. The aluminum walls and the constant, but not too loud ventilation keep the air fresh. A charcoal filter is also included to remove airborne impurities which can enter bottles through the corks or caps. The digital display screen allows you to monitor the temperature and humidity levels inside the fridge. The LED white light is also softer than other refrigerators we tested. You can also choose between a solid glass door or one with UV protection, and which way the door swings. It comes with a warranty of one year for the entire refrigerator and five years on the internal parts. You can also take advantage of Wine Enthusiast’s customer service. In the age of A.I. The Goguette is a new brand of Eurocave refrigerators that has been praised by BA writer. The Goguette review can be found here, but the La Premiere L was a better buy than the smaller and more expensive (though elegant) Goguette. The price is also not to be sniffed at. It’s a lot to spend nearly $4,000 on an appliance only some people consider essential to their happiness. I also filled the fridges up with wine to test their capacity. Since I used each refrigerator over weeks, rather than years, i also scoured user forums, retailers’ comment sections, and the deeper reaches of wine Reddit to gain insights into the fridges’ performance over time. Wine fridges are designed to protect your bottles from heat, light damage and other potentially harmful elements. The wine fridges are designed to store bottles in a different way than food refrigerators. “Wine refrigerators provide a stable and Goldilocks-like temperature for all types wine, as opposed a fridge that is usually too cold, which gets opened and shut more often,” says Chris Raftery.

  

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Food

Trump DoorDashed McDonald’s to the White House

Open Tab is a weekly roundup that includes news, gossip and stories I have kept open in my tabs. Last week, we covered the scathing reviews of Travis Kelce’s and Patrick Mahomes 1587 Prime. I enjoyed reading Caity Weaver’s extensive investigation into the best freebread in America. I spent the first 1,000 words or so waiting for a mention Bertucci’s warm, perfect, and free rolls, only to have them dismissed without much ceremony. I noticed that there was a lot of grumbling regarding the Erewhon opening at LACMA on the 19th of April. What do you think of the merging of two of LA’s greatest cultural institutions in this way? Philz coffee has not changed its anti-Pride Flag stance from last week. According to a leaked document reported by the San Francisco Chronicle this week, Philz coffee will have “a new, ‘unifying,’ piece of artwork in every store.” I vote for a photorealistic Divine mural. He served fries to battleground states during the election, and welcomed guests at the White House with big macs. He even ate cheeseburgers allegedly as part of his evening wind-down ritual. How does his penchant for fast-food fit with the MAHA movement’s juggernaut? It’s impossible to say. But given Trump’s love for McDonald’s, the news that he recently DoorDashed a few to the Oval Office is not surprising. It’s less shocking to learn that the whole thing was an attempt to promote Trump’s “no-tax on tips” policy, which, in reality, servers are not all that excited about. The current culture war in the United States is exemplified by Trump’s inexplicable question to the Dasher, Sharon Simmons. She responded, “I don’t really have an opinion about that.” In 2023, I wrote about Utah-founded Crumbl being the fastest-growing dessert store in the country. Swig, another Utah-based company, helped popularize Dirty Soda. The concept has exploded in part because of its appearances on Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. But this week, the Utahification of food has hit a rough patch. McDonald’s is on the Dirty Soda train, offering drinks like the Dirty Dr. Pepper, which is a Dr. Pepper with coconut cream and lime. But Crumbl, Utah’s original export, appears to be in trouble. According to franchise documents, after a slowdown in growth in 2024 the company reported less money per franchisee in 2025. Could this be the end of the company? Will Crumbl be able to pivot towards AI to save the company in some way? I can’t wait for the answer.

  

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Food

The Best Air Fryers Do a Lot More Than Reheat French Fries (2026)

The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is the best option for those who want an air fryer that offers maximum versatility, but have limited counter space. The countertop convection or air fryer/toaster oven combines the crisping power and functionality of an oven with the basket-style air fryers that you are familiar with. It is a true multi-purpose kitchen appliance. Breville makes several different models, but this is the best air-fryer-toaster-oven for most home cooks. It combines performance and value. The digital control panel has 13 presets, including the air fryer. Each one uses the right combination heating elements to make perfect toast, bagels and cookies, or slow-cooking. Breville’s companion application is included in a smarter, more expensive model for advanced presets. This includes a rotisserie chicken. The Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro consistently delivered great results in testing. It was great at frying foods that needed to be laid out in a flat and even layer on the crisper tray, such as veggie burgers, salmon fillets, or sweet potato fries. This model is a favorite of BA staffers, Test Kitchen editors and award-winning cookbook writer Nik Sharma who developed some BA’s favorite recipes for air fryers. We also found that, in general, food benefited from a higher cooking temperature (and often slightly longer cook time) compared to the basket-style winners. We also found that, in general, food benefited from a higher cooking temperature (and often slightly longer cook time) relative to the basket-style winners.Useful for: If you want an air fryer oven with a large capacity, a variety of functions, and don’t mind that it will always sit on your countertop.BrevilleSmart Oven Air Fryer Compact$250 Amazon$250 $200 (20% off) Williams Sonoma$250 $200 (20% off) BrevillePros and consPros:Versatile cooking functionsCompact sizeCons:Still takes up more horizontal space than most basket-style modelsHigher price point than basket-style picksCapacity: .5 cubic feetWattage: 1800

5 Cooking functions: Toast, bagel, broil, pizza, bake/roast

5 air-frying functions: fries, wings, bacon and crispy reheat

Color: Stainless Steel

Weight: 15.8 lb.

Dimensions: 15.7″ x 16.9″, x 10″

Warranty: 2 Years

  

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Food

Pasta Alla Vodka and More Recipes We Made This Week

It’s not a secret that Bon Appetit’s editors cook a great deal for work. It’s no surprise then that we cook a great deal in our free time. Here are some of the recipes that we’re cooking this month to feed our families, entertain friends, satisfy our sweet tooth, use leftovers, etc. Click here for more staff favorites. Tahini brownies to make for momI was recently at my parents’ home with an afternoon free, so I decided to bake something. “I have a craving for tahini chocolate brownies,” said my mother. Accepted the challenge. Enter food director Chris Morocco’s version. These brownies are gluten-free. I don’t like to bake with flour, but the lack of it makes them more fudgy. Maple syrup worked just as well in place of light agave for the tahini spiral. As we dipped the rich squares in milky tea, it became clear why my mother craved these flavors. On another part of the kitchen table, there was a magazine clipping with this exact recipe. Test Kitchen editor, Rebecca FirkserGluten-Free Chocolate Tahini BrowniesDavid Lebovitz’s timeless gluten-free recipe inspired our GF take on classic, fudgy, brownies with a sweet, modern tahini spiral.View RecipeA very crispy saladArmed a punnet full of sugar snap peas from the farmers market and some precariously ripe Avocados, I turned to Epicurious for timely inspiration. It directed me to Kendra Vaculin’s Crispy tortilla salad with snap peas and avocado. The name was enough to convince me. I love crunch and the promise of tortilla chips and snappeas in a single dish was enough to get me to try it. I then scanned the ingredients list and found a lot more texture: radishes cucumbers and jalapenos. My luck! I decided to fry the chips myself because, why not? (just use FryAway for the oil). Because I don’t care for cilantro, I substituted parsley and mint. Kelsey Jane Youngman Senior Service EditorCrispy tortilla salad with snap peas and avocadoA twist on the classic Fattoush salad. A creamy avocado and lime dressing is used instead of the traditional pita chip.View RecipeCompany worthy olive oil cakeI’m young, fun, spontaneous etc. but a last minute dinner invite always spikes cortisol. I know I can’t go empty-handed but what should I bring? This Spiced Olive Oil cake with Orange Glaze has saved me on more than one occasion. I like to spice up the recipe. I add more black pepper for florality, and a pinch of cardamom to bring out the warming notes. The olive oil is the most important ingredient. I use a nice olive oil that friends brought back from Portugal. Its verdant and zippy flavor is what anchors the baked cake. Baked pasta alla vodkaMy coworker Mallary Santucci prepared this Pasta Alla Vodka the other week for a lunch team. She didn’t stop there, but went one step further. (As a senior chef producer would do) She layered the rigatoni with mozzarella and poured the sauce over it in a casserole dish. It was gone in a matter of minutes, I’d say ten total. It had brown, craggy sides. I couldn’t help but make it again at home a few days after, and finished with a bunch of basil. Nina Moskowitz is the associate editor of cooking.Pasta alla VodkaIt has a creamy texture. It’s cheesy. It’s tangy. It’s going to be your favorite pantry pasta. View Recipe

  

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Food

These Little Luxuries Under $60 Make Perfect Mother’s Day Gifts

If mid-century American advertising is to be believed, the way to your mom’s heart is through a toaster. “There’s no gift more welcome than an electric appliance,” reads a 1948 ad for Proctor toasters. Or take this gem: “Christmas morning, she’ll be happier with a Hoover.”

Oh, no thank you! Don’t get us wrong, we’re passionate about kitchen gear, but unless your mom explicitly asked for a shiny new blender (or stand mixer or juicer), it’s best to steer clear of the appliance-as-present path, lest you risk sending the message that you’d like the mom in your life to do more cooking or cleaning for you. This Mother’s Day, show your mom, grandmother, the mother of your children—whoever you’re celebrating—that you appreciate her by gifting a little luxury that helps her treat herself.

The suggestions on this list are thoughtful, creative, and a little indulgent, like a hand soap that softens your skin with each wash, black truffle popcorn from a brand beloved by Michelin-starred chefs, and whimsical cocktail napkins designed by fashion influencer Emma Chamberlain. And the best part is these fancy finds look so much more expensive than they are—everything is under $60.

Atlas Coffee Club

Atlas Coffee Club

Coffee Subscription

If your mom of the “but first, coffee” ilk? Atlas is one of the best coffee subscriptions for anyone who wants to sample single-origin coffee from around the world while supporting fair trade and sustainable practices. Recipients first choose their preferred roast level, brew type, and coffee quantity (ranging from a half bag to four bags per month), then receive freshly roasted coffee with an ID card detailing sourcing information and tasting notes. Subscription prices range from $11 for a 6-ounce half bag to $17 for a 12-ounce single bag.

For something even more special (and a bit more expensive), Atlas partnered with And Sons chocolates out of New York for a gift box pairing coffees from six different countries with a delicious box chocolates and bon bons.

Mornings at Levain Votive Candle Set

Mornings at Levain Votive Candle Set

The dreamy aromas of Levain’s famous cookies are perfectly captured in Snif’s candle trio, which has notes of caramelized chocolate, vanilla dough, sea salt, and walnuts. Packaged in a giftable blue box, the scrumptious-smelling votives have a six-hour burn time and will make any space feel as warm and inviting as the popular bakery.

  

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