Pork Carnitas

Pork Carnitas

I cooked a 4 pound pork butt in the crockpot the other day using neutral flavors so that I could use the shredded pork in a few different ways. Once shredded, it freezes really well, so I divided the pork into three separate containers. That way, I have it on-hand and ready to use for quick dinners such as bbq sliders, smothered burritos or pork carnitas.

I make carnitas by cooking some of the shredded pork in a skillet with lots of spices and fresh squeezed lime juice.

Basic pork roast:

  • 4 pound pork butt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
  • 1 large yellow onion, quartered
  • 5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • The juice of 1 orange

Rub the pork with the salts and pepper, place it in a crockpot along with the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours until it’s falling off the bone. Let it cool for 30-45 minutes before shredding it.

For the carnitas:

  • 2 cups of the shredded pork
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
  • The juice of 1/2 a lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the carnitas over medium-high heat until they are slightly crispy.

Serve in corn or flour tortillas with avocado, Cotija cheese, radishes and quick pickled shallots.

To make quick pickled shallots, whisk 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, a pinch of salt and 2 teaspoons sugar together in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Add two thinly sliced shallots and let it sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes.

Share this with friends:


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.