Season the pork

1. Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300°F / 150°C.
2. Cut the pork into large chunks, about 2 inches across, and pat them dry. Season all over with the salt, black pepper, and oregano.
3. Cut the orange in half. Squeeze the juice into a small bowl and keep the spent orange halves.

Braise until tender

1. Heat the Dutch oven over medium heat and melt the lard. Add the pork, onion, garlic, bay leaves, orange juice, the squeezed orange halves, and the water.
2. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, cover, and transfer the pot to the oven.
3. Cook for 2½ to 3 hours, turning the pork once about halfway through, until the meat is very tender and easily gives when pressed with a fork.
4. Uncover and cook 20 to 30 minutes more if the pot still looks very watery. You want some rendered fat and a small amount of concentrated cooking liquid left in the bottom, not a full broth.
5. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, use a deep oven-safe skillet, heavy stockpot, or a sturdy baking dish instead. Cover tightly with a lid or a double layer of foil before it goes into the oven so the pork braises gently and stays moist; check once during cooking that there’s still a shallow layer of liquid in the bottom, adding a small splash of hot water if the pot looks dry.

Crisp and serve

1. Increase the oven to broil and move the rack to the upper third. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment.
2. Lift the pork out with a slotted spoon and pull it into large bite-size pieces. Discard the bay leaves and orange halves. Spoon ¼ cup / 60 ml of the cooking liquid and a little of the rendered fat over the pork, then spread it in a single layer on the baking sheet.
3. Broil for 4 to 6 minutes, toss, then broil 3 to 5 minutes more until the edges are dark golden brown and crisp in spots. Broiling after braising is a reliable home method for getting the classic tender-and-crisp contrast.
4. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or comal for about 20 seconds per side, then wrap them in a clean towel.
5. (Optional) Upgrade: Reduce a small cup of the braising liquid until it turns glossy and a little sticky, then drizzle that over the pork after broiling. It gives you an even deeper pork flavor and makes the crisp bits taste richer without changing the whole recipe.
6. Fill each tortilla with the meat and top with diced onion, cilantro, lime, and salsa if using. Success looks like pork that is juicy and tender in the middle, crisp and browned at the edges, and glossy rather than dry.