Carnitas Coloradas
Reprinted with permission from Cooking the Borderlands: Spice and Smoke Between Mexico and the States by Claudette Zepeda. Copyright © 2026 by Claudette Zepeda. Photographs copyright © 2026 by David Alvarado. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York
When this beautiful culinary creation landed on our lazy Susan, I was immediately smitten. If you’re familiar with char siu pork, the bright red, sweet-and-savory, honey-lacquered Chinese barbecued pork that hangs in the windows of butcher shops around Chinatown, this is the Mexicali version of it.
The bright red color in this dish actually comes from food coloring, so you can opt out of it if you’d like. To me personally, that signature red ring around the meat is sort of nostalgic, reminding me that the meal is going to be delicious, as dependable as Chinese mustard is hot.
For my ode to char siu pork, I include Chinese five-spice powder and ground Sichuan peppercorns. You’ll also notice the use of unrefined piloncillo cane sugar here, which I prefer over regular brown sugar because it contains more minerals that give it a deeper flavor.
Yield: 4-6 servings.
How to Make It
1
Cut the pork shoulder into long strips, about 2 in. wide and 1 in. thick. You can trim off some of the fat if you want, but don’t trim it completely. Place the sliced pork in a 9-by-13-in. baking dish and set aside.
2
Make the Marinade: In a small bowl, combine the piloncillo, garlic, salt, five-spice powder, ground Sichuan peppercorns, sesame oil, 2 tbsp of the Shaoxing, the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, molasses, and red food coloring (if using). Whisk until combined.
3
Pour the marinade into the baking dish with the pork and turn the pork to ensure it is fully coated with the marinade. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 24 hours, flipping the strips of pork after 12 hours.
4
After 24 hours, remove the pork from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
5
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.
6
Arrange the pork on the wire rack, leaving space between the pieces. Place the baking sheet with the pork on the middle rack of your oven. Pour the remaining ½ cup of Shaoxing and ½ cup of water into the baking sheet (below the wire rack), carefully close the oven, and roast the pork for 10 minutes.
7
While the pork is roasting, make the glaze: Combine the honey and 1 tbsp of hot water in a small bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
8
After 10 minutes, remove the pork from the oven and brush with the glaze. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and return the pork to the oven for 10 more minutes, or until the glaze is no longer shiny. If the cooking wine and water in the baking sheet have evaporated, replenish as necessary.
9
Remove the pork from the oven, flip the pieces, and brush with the glaze again. Put the pork back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
10
Repeat this process of glazing and roasting until you run out of glaze—about two more rounds. (Continue replenishing the cooking wine and water as needed.)
11
Cook the pork until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F at the thickest part. Remove the pork from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and let the meat rest so the juices can redistribute for at least 10 minutes.
12
If the pork is still not browned or charred to your liking at this point, broil it on the highest oven rack for a few minutes with the door open. For serving, I like to slice it into thin strips and enjoy with steamed rice.
Ingredients
2 lbs boneless pork shoulder
¼ cup ground or grated piloncillo
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1 1/4 tsp. Morton salt)
1 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
½ tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns
1 tsp sesame oil
½ cup plus 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp molasses
½ tsp red food coloring (optional)
2 tbsp honey
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