Mexican recipes
Carnitas
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Mexican
Ingredients
- 4 lb boneless pork shoulder trimmed off excess fat (cut into 5-inch chunks) 1.81 kg boneless pork shoulder trimmed off excess fat (cut into 5-inch chunks)
- 1 tbsp coarse sea salt 15 ml coarse sea salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil 30 ml vegetable oil
- Water Water
- 1 cinnamon stick 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp chili powder 4.9 ml chili powder
- 2 ancho chiles, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, roughly chopped 2 ancho chiles, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, roughly chopped
- 2 bay leaves 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin 1.2 ml ground cumin
- 3 clove garlic (thinly-sliced) 3 clove garlic (thinly-sliced)
Method
Sear (brown) the pork
Season the pork chunks with salt and rub well. Refrigerate for a few hours.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Sear the pork chunks in a single layer, in batches if the pan is not large enough, until well-browned, turning them once or twice.
Deglaze the pan
Remove the pork from the pan and set aside. Clean the pan from excess fat. Pour in a cup of water and bring to a heat, while scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula. This will releast all the tasty bits.
Cook the pork
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) degrees.
Add the browned pork into a roasting pan and pour the liquid from the frying pan over it. Add enough water to cover the pork by 2/3. Add the cinnamon stick, chile powder, ancho chiles, bay leaves, cumin and garlic. Stir to combine ingredients.
Cook uncovered for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning the pork occationally, until the liquid is reduced and the pork is cooked through and falling apart when pressed using a fork.
Remove the pan from the oven. Move the pork chunks to a platter and let them cool down. When cold enough to handle, shred them into 1 to 2 inch chunks, discarding any excess fat.
Return the shredded pork back to the roasting pan and cook in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes more, turning a few times, until the liquid has evaporated and the pork is crispy and caramelized.
Serve in flour or corn tortillas with guacamole, sour cream, salsa and refried beans.
Season the pork chunks with salt and rub well. Refrigerate for a few hours.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Sear the pork chunks in a single layer, in batches if the pan is not large enough, until well-browned, turning them once or twice.
Deglaze the pan
Remove the pork from the pan and set aside. Clean the pan from excess fat. Pour in a cup of water and bring to a heat, while scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula. This will releast all the tasty bits.
Cook the pork
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) degrees.
Add the browned pork into a roasting pan and pour the liquid from the frying pan over it. Add enough water to cover the pork by 2/3. Add the cinnamon stick, chile powder, ancho chiles, bay leaves, cumin and garlic. Stir to combine ingredients.
Cook uncovered for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning the pork occationally, until the liquid is reduced and the pork is cooked through and falling apart when pressed using a fork.
Remove the pan from the oven. Move the pork chunks to a platter and let them cool down. When cold enough to handle, shred them into 1 to 2 inch chunks, discarding any excess fat.
Return the shredded pork back to the roasting pan and cook in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes more, turning a few times, until the liquid has evaporated and the pork is crispy and caramelized.
Serve in flour or corn tortillas with guacamole, sour cream, salsa and refried beans.
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