Ingredients

How to make it

  • Slosh in some oil and heat your pan.
  • Brown every side of the pork -- the browner the pork is, the better. No, really, we're talkin' almost black here. I put the lid on and go do something else so I don't peek -- something like five or ten minutes per side. Heavy brownage!
  • Now that it's all a beautiful crispy brown, stop picking bits off for 'testing' and pull the meat out, then throw in the onion, carrots, and celery and sautee.
  • Glug in the broth and the S&P.
  • Lob the meat back in and simmer for an hour or two. (At this point, it's "Pork Roast", but continue for Carnitas:)
  • Dump the remaining ingredients over the meat, turn it once, and either:
  • Simmer for another hour, turning once OR
  • Bake at 350 for an hour (my fav) OR
  • Crockpot for 3 hours on high, turning once
  • This part is optional: let cool, remove bay leaf, debone, and defat everything.
  • Shred meat if you haven't yet while defatting and simmer the meat with the seasoned broth so it absorbs into the delicious carnitas.
  • Snarf the results. I try to lay out ingredients during the last 5-minute simmer so I can snarf a full (taco) (salad) (whatever) insted of just burning my lips on the edge of the pan. Heh.
  • Notes:
  • For insanely tasty crunchy munchage, add a last step of tossing the carnitas onto a big ol flat pan and broil the benoinkers out of 'em. Flip at least once to get all the benoinkers broiled. The black crunchy bits are the best.
  • Instead of spices, add BBQ sauce to the simmer at the very end and you'll have exquisite Pulled Pork Barbeque.
  • Add a chicken to the last hour of cooking with some (okay, one, I'm a total wuss) nice Pasilla peppers and you'll have fantastic Tamale filling.
  • Cut your pork in half and remove a piece it after it's tender, before the spices go in and get your roast on while the goodness that is Carnitas is evolving. Yes!

Reviews & Comments 11

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    " It was excellent "
    Mmmfood84 ate it and said...
    I normally do not eat pork but, this dish was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! Flavor was just right, super tender and melted right in my mouth. Thanks!
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    " It was excellent "
    windy1950 ate it and said...
    Whoooaaa... gotta try this! ^5
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  • barbiemensher 15 years ago
    Yeah, any recipe that calls for sloshing, glugging, lobbing and snarfing is a keeper. ;)
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    " It was excellent "
    fizzle3nat ate it and said...
    I LOVE carnitas! They are so tender and delicious. Some that I've had here have even had the meat quick sauteed so that the tender meat gets nice little crispies on it. Yum! Great post! - Natalie
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    " It was excellent "
    shepherdrescue ate it and said...
    This ROCKS!! The dark roasted brown bits are the absolute BEST!
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    " It was excellent "
    marges ate it and said...
    This is great for the low carbers too. Carnitas rock!
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  • plot_thickens 15 years ago
    Yeay! We loves the pig! Congrats, 26tri!
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    " It was excellent "
    26tri ate it and said...
    I'm a college student and made Carnitas for my friends over Spring Break. They were awesome and everyone loved it. AND, it was so easy to do. Definitely a favorite of mine.
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    " It was excellent "
    greekgirrrl ate it and said...
    love it!
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  • plot_thickens 16 years ago
    I'm so glad you liked it, thank you!
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    " It was excellent "
    borius ate it and said...
    Carnits Tacos w/ NFL was Sunday dinner. The fam loved it. Thanks for the recipe. Easy and very good.
    Mark
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    " It was excellent "
    borius ate it and said...
    Now THAT is what I am talking about. I am so glad that I am not the only one that has a smile shaped burn mark on my face from gnawing on the edge of my Dutch oven and burned off fingertips from "testing" the browned bits. One of the best posts I've seen! Thanks. Carnitas this weekend! YIPPEEE!
    Mark
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