Inocencio Carbajal's Carnitas Uruapan Celebrates 50 Years in Chicago's Little Village
Inocencio Carbajal, known as El Güero, founded Carnitas Uruapan in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood in 1975. The taqueria, famous for its traditional carnitas, has expanded over the years, culminating in a flagship location in Little Village for its 50th anniversary. Carnitas Uruapan specializes in 'little meats' from every part of the pig, a method that involves flash-frying and slow-cooking to achieve a crispy, tender result. Carbajal, an immigrant from Uruapan, Michoacán, Mexico, brought his family's carnitas recipe to Chicago, where he initially worked in a meatpacking house. His son, Marcos Carbajal, has joined the family business, earning recognition as a James Beard Awards semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur.