By Lynda Balslev | TasteFood
We never need to justify eating carnitas. With that said, there are two significant reasons to indulge right now: Father’s Day and the start of summer. Juicy, succulent shredded pork carnitas, enveloped in warm tortilla wraps, make for ideal alfresco party food. They are fun to assemble and messy to eat (in the best way), which encourages outdoor dining and imbibing in cold liquid refreshments. It’s summer food at its best.
The key to carnitas is to let the meat cook low and slow until it’s meltingly tender. This does require time, but little effort. The cooking process takes several hours, and it’s relatively hands-off — just a simple stir every hour or so. The biggest challenge will be enduring the wafting aromas of heady spice and simmering meat, which will surely test your patience as you wait.
In this recipe, a smoky, citrus-infused beer broth imbues the meat with rich citrusy flavor and spice. Once the meat is fork-tender, shred and spread it in a baking dish or grill pan. Toss with some of the reduced basting juices, and then grill or broil at high heat until the meat begins to crisp and caramelize. Present the meat on a platter along with tortillas and an array of salsas, guacamole and fresh toppings, and let everyone help themselves.
You can prepare the carnitas in the oven or on the grill. Grilling the meat will keep the heat outdoors on a warm day. If you have any leftovers, use the meat in sandwiches or loaded on homemade nachos the next day.
Smoky Pork Carnitas
Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 4 hours and 30 minutes Yield: Serves 6 to 8
1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) boneless pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed, cut into 4 large chunks Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano 12 ounces Mexican beer 2 cups fresh orange juice 1/3 cup chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Accompaniments: Warm flour or corn tortillas Guacamole Salsa Fresh cilantro Sliced green onions or chopped red onions Sliced jalapeno peppers
Generously season the meat with salt and pepper.
Heat the oven to 300 degrees or prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium-low heat, 275 to 300 degrees.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the pork and brown on all sides, in batches if necessary, about 8 minutes. Remove the pork and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.
Add the onion, garlic, cumin, paprikas and oregano. Saute until aromatic, about 1 minute, scraping up any brown bits. Add the beer, orange juice, chipotles in adobo, lime juice and brown sugar. Nestle the pork in the liquid. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pot. Transfer the pot to the oven (or to indirect low heat on the grill).
Braise the pork until fork-tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours, turning the meat every hour or so.
Remove the pork from the braising liquid and transfer to a cutting board to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat. Place the meat in a baking dish or grill pan.
Boil the braising sauce over medium-high heat until reduced by about one-third, 8 to 10 minutes, skimming the fat occasionally. Strain the sauce and drizzle some of it over the shredded pork (the pork should be lightly coated but not sopping wet).
Broil or grill the pork over indirect high heat until the meat begins to caramelize, 2 to 4 minutes.
To serve, spoon some of the pork in the center of a tortilla. Add the toppings. Roll up and eat.
Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer based in northern California. Visit TasteFood at TasteFoodblog.com.
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