Barbacoa Vs Carnitas: What's The Actual Difference?

When it comes to taco fillings, cooks might choose barbacoa or carnitas for the protein. Although either choice is a meat, they aren't exactly the same. Carnitas is Spanish for "little meats" and is considered a Mexican dish made from an economical cut of pork, like picnic ham, pork shoulder, or boneless Boston butt. The higher-fat meat is usually cooked for several hours over low heat with a variety of seasonings and lard until easily shredded. Then the pork is roasted until crispy.

Barbacoa means "barbecue" in Spanish, but its origin is more Caribbean. Seasoning meat with a variety of herbs and spices before cooking slowly over a fire pit may have been created by the Taino people. Eventually, the style moved to Mexico, where it became more widely known as barbacoa. Mexican cooks wrap the beef in agave leaves before placing the tasty packets on grates within a large vessel. In the United States, barbacoa often refers to spicy slow-cooked beef marinated in adobo seasoning and cooked until fork-tender.

If placed side by side, it would be hard to simply see the difference between the two. However, carnitas in Mexico differ greatly from their American counterparts. South of the border, carnitas can be prepared with any part of the pig (even the brain), but most will argue that it really has to be some form of pork to count as carnitas. Barbacoa can be made with different cuts of beef (the cheek cut is traditional and could use more appreciation anyway) or even other types of meat, such as lamb or chicken. Remember also that carnitas are fat-rendered then finished by roasting, while barbacoa is more typically cooked over fire for just about the whole process.

Need a more vivid picture? Then try thinking of carnitas as pulled pork (you can even cook the pork in a slow cooker or instant pot if you're so inclined). And barbacoa? That's more like a rack of barbecued beef ribs. Either should pair well with a smoky mezcal if you're looking for an accompanying cocktail.