The Berry We Had No Idea Was In Chipotle's Carnitas

Chipotle is well-known for so many of its tasty takes on Mexican classics but has a fervent following for one dish in particular and that's the carnitas. You can order this flavor-bursting pulled pork as a taco, burrito, or bowl, but even if you're among the most frequent diners, you may not be able to guess at one secret ingredient. The berry you'll find in the restaurant's carnitas isn't a blackberry, blueberry, or even one of the kinds we rarely consider to be berries like kiwi, eggplant, and avocado. 

Instead, many in the culinary world refer to this element as an aromatic, spice, or botanical and that's the juniper berry. This small but mighty ingredient is more notable for its contribution to the beverage world, as a foundational flavor in many gins, so its appearance on the list of inclusions in Chipotle's carnitas had us asking questions. For example, what does it add to the dish? And do other Mexican classics feature this flavor?

Juniper berries are distinctive in their taste, which can be described as woody or piney, fruity or peppery, with hints of citrus. While these small cones (not technically berries at all) are powerful and have the potential to be a bit overwhelming, they're ideal for hearty dishes like venison, lamb, and chili. Chipotle explains on its website that juniper has a "distinct, pungent aroma that stands up to rich, meaty dishes," making it easy to see how these qualities fit well with the classic, robustly flavored carnitas.

While research for juniper-infused Mexican dishes mostly turns up copycat recipes for these Chipotle carnitas, there is evidence that these berries are more common in the American Southwest and its cuisines. There, the plant has a long history during which it has been used for everything from medicinal purposes to an element for building Navajo shelters known as hogans. Indigenous people have also long utilized them in everything from bread to stews.

If you want to recreate carnitas with this juniper flair at home, you can get your hands on juniper berries pretty easily. They're fairly common at grocery stores in the spice section or you can order them online. Chipotle also includes spices and other aromatics like bay leaves and thyme, and your recipe can be as simple as combining these elements together with your pork and broth in a slow cooker. 

"Iron Chef" Claudette Zepeda also has secret ingredients for unbeatable carnitas should you need further inspiration or you can simply take carnitas up a notch with sweetened condensed milk. Serve them with corn tortillas as tacos or wrapped up in a flour tortilla as a burrito.

You can also branch out with your juniper use and include it in a southwestern-style chili rub along with cocoa, cumin, garlic, and chili powder, or even use it to infuse your own gin and never buy store-bought again. Whether your carnitas are homemade or straight from Chipotle's kitchen, this meal seems like a solid time to raise a glass in a toast to this botanical treasure.