Carnitas is a Mexican version of pulled pork, and it's to die for! The word carnitas is literally translated as "little meats" from Spanish, and this delicious dish is traditionally prepared by simmering pork in lard until it's pull-apart tender. Fortunately, you don't need a bucket of lard to prepare this yummy dish at home. A slow cooker will do the trick, and the preparation itself is very simple and fuss-free. Just follow these steps.
Prep Time
6 hours and 15 minutes
Ingredients for Mexican Carnitas:
Method of preparing the Mexican Carnitas:
-
Pat dry the pork shoulder and season well with salt and pepper.
-
In a small bowl, combine the cumin, oregano, and olive oil. Then take this mixture and massage it thoroughly into the pork.
-
Fit the pork in a slow cooker with the fatty part facing up. Add in the jalapeño, onion, garlic, and orange juice as well.
-
In a slow cooker, cook the pork on high for 7 hours. The pork should be tender and it should come apart easily when you try to shred it with a fork.
-
Remove the pork shoulder from the slow cooker and let it cool for 10-15 minutes.
-
Shred the pork with two forks.
-
If there's a lot more than 2 cups of broth left in the slow cooker, reduce it to about 2 cups. This salty broth is your seasoning. Measure out 2 cups of liquid and set it aside.
-
Now it's time to crisp up the meat. To do so, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet on high heat. Toss 1/4 of the shredded pork in the skillet and drizzle some of the broth you reserved on top.
-
Cook until the liquid evaporates. The bottom of the meat should be golden and crispy. Then turn the meat and sear the other side too. You want some of the meat to stay soft and not browned.
-
Remove the meat from the skillet and do the same with the remaining 4 batches of pork. Drizzle a little more of the broth over the meat right before serving.
-
Serve carnitas hot in soft taco shells, topped with freshly chopped parsley or cilantro, chopped fresh onion, and a lime wedge on the side for drizzling.
Chef's Tip:
If you're not planning on using up all of the cooked pork, store it in the fridge and brown it up immediately before serving. Store the pork and broth separately. Carnitas will stay fresh for 3 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Source: Recipetineats.com
Go to BabaMail
