Carnitas
A combination of a few recipes mastered by my mother and enjoyed by many :)
*adapted from recipes developed by recipetineats and preppy kitchen
what you need:
for the rub
2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp ground coffee
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
plus:
4-5 Ib pork shoulder/ butt (bone-in or boneless works)
3 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
juice of two oranges
3/4 cup any mexican beer
what you do:
Mix rub ingredients in a small bowl and then rub all over the pork butt. Heat oil in large skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium heat. Add pork and sear on each side for 2-3 mins until a golden brown crust forms. Turn off heat, transfer pork to your slow cooker (fat cap facing up) and immediately deglaze your pan with the beer, scraping up all the yummy brown bits. Pour over the pork, then add garlic, onion, jalapeño, and OJ. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours (or high for 6-7 hours).
later
Remove pork from slow cooker. Strain juices remaining in the slow cooker and discard remaining solids. Once pork is slightly cool, shred, making sure to remove any large pieces of fat as you go. I find it easiest to use two forks to pull the pork apart—the fat is jiggly and easily pulls away from the meat. Add juice to a small sauce pan and simmer until reduced by half (this is optional but helps to thicken and intensify the flavor). Skim the fat off the top of your reserved juice using a spoon. The fat layer is lighter and more oily looking than the juice, and will naturally separate to the top.
ways to eat your carnitas
In a quesadilla with queso fresco, cotija, shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese. Use your reserved juice for dipping.
In a taco or rice bowl. For this, I like to crisp up the pork by heating a cast iron and spreading out the shredded pork in an even layer. Allow to cook for 5-7 mins (WITHOUT TOUCHING) until a crispy crust forms along the bottom. Eat with lettuce, rice, pickled onions, refined beans, cotija cheese, and avo.
*save your juice in the fridge for as long as you have carnitas leftovers. When you go to heat up your pork in a pan, add some of the juice (once cold it will become more of a jelly, don’t fret). This will make your pork nice and juicy again!
