Carne Frita is seasoned pork chunks, that are then fried until tender on the inside and crispy on the corners.
In Puerto Rico, Carne Frita is a very popular Puerto Rican street food that can be found everywhere from chinchorros to restaurants.
They’re usually sold with a buttery mofongo or crispy fried tostones with a mayo and ketchup mix. It is so popular that it is sold in Chinese restaurants with Puerto Rican fried rice.
I like my carne frita very tender and I will show you my trick to do it this way.
I like to serve these fried pork chunks in a tray full of other foods that we call picadera, like small appetizers. I also like to serve it with the easy arroz mamposteao or white rice with coconut milk.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- The pork meat will be super tender!
- It is a good finger food to make at any party or gathering.
- This is a recipe that you can make ahead, and then finish in 10 minutes or less!
Recipe Ingredients
- Pork Chunks- You can get your pork pre-cut from the supermarket. But what I like to do is buy a whole pork butt with one half as a roasted pernil and the other half as fried pork.
- Seasonings- The seasonings are a simple combination of onion powder, sazón with culantro and achiote, adobo, and ground thyme. You can always change up the seasonings to your liking.
- Oil- I used vegetable oil but you can use whichever you normally use to fry.
How to make Carne Frita
- Photo 1: First you have to cut your pork into cubes about 1 ½ to 2 inches thick. Of course, you can buy it already cut and save some time.
- Photo 2: Then season your meat. You can leave your meat time to marinate but there is really no need.
- Photo 3: Cook your meat for 45 minutes covered so it can cook on its juices. Halfway through separate the meat chunks because they tend to stick.
- Photo 4: Fry for 10 minutes or until they have a nice golden color. Remember that your meat is fully cooked, you’re are only frying to give it a nice crust and more flavor.
Recipe Tips
- After cooking your meat in the first stage, you will have some fat in the pan. Don’t throw it away, save this and you can make delicious rice with it.
- You can eat the pork meat after the first stage of cooking, we call it Carne de cerdo al caldero.
Frequently Asked Questions
To get your pork tender every time the secret is to first cook it in its juices. As it cooks it will start releasing its juices which will act just like a stock to boil your pork in.
The fattier the cut, the better. I like to use pork butt or pork shoulder. I have even used pork ribs and they turn out delicious.
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Carne Frita | Fried Pork
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cut your pork into 1 ½ to 2 inches thick pieces. While cutting leave some fat on as this will help with the cooking. You can skip this step by buying the pork already cut.
- In a large pan add the meat, sazón, adobo, onion powder, ground thyme, and mix everything. Cook the meat for 45 minutes over medium heat. Stir occasionally so your meat won't stick together and cook evenly. Remove the meat to a container until you are ready to fry it.
- Over a large deep saucepan, add 1 cup of oil and set to medium high heat. You need to cook your pork for about 10 minutes or until they have a nice golden color. Serve right away and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- Reserve the fat you get from cooking the meat to make another recipe like rice.
- After the first stage, the pork is cooked fully and is safe to consume.
- Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Stephenie says
It is cooked in medium heat.