Carnitas
From plot_thickens 16 years agoIngredients
- pork shoulder & a pot big enough for it shopping list
- oil or fat shopping list
- 1 onion, chunked shopping list
- double-handful of carrots shopping list
- single-handful of celery shopping list
- 3 - 6 cloves of garlic shopping list
- smidge of salt & pepper shopping list
- 2 - 3 C chicken broth shopping list
- 1/4 t oregano shopping list
- 1/4 t chili powder shopping list
- 1 t cumin shopping list
- 1 bay leaf shopping list
- a couple of the 'MILD' ortega canned chilis - more if you like it chili-er. if you're not a wuss like me, use a more fiery pepper. Be It Known, however, that it will disintegrate into the sauce and the entirety of the pepper will become part of the carnitas. shopping list
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!
The Rating
Reviewed by 9 people-
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 ...more
borius in Klamath Falls loved it -
Carnits Tacos w/ NFL was Sunday dinner. The fam loved it. Thanks for the recipe. Easy and very good.
Markborius in Klamath Falls loved it -
love it!
greekgirrrl in Long Island loved it
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