Carnitas - 2 Recipe - Cooking Index
Carnitas - 2 Recipe - Cooking Index
| 4 lbs | 1816g / 64oz | Pork - up to 5 |
| 2 lbs | 908g / 32oz | Lard |
| 1/4 cup | 59ml | Milk |
| 1/4 cup | 59ml | Orange juice |
| Spice Mix | ||
| 2 | Salt | |
| 1 | Black pepper | |
| 1 | Garlic powder | |
| 1 | Onion powder |
Use enough spice mix to lightly season pork pieces on all sides.
Melt lard in large skillet. Add seasoned pork pieces and let simmer rapidly until just brown. Lower heat and continue to cook for 1 1/2 hour at a bare simmer. The oven works well for this. Turn pork every 20 to 30 minutes. Add milk and OJ and stir well. The milk will form globules, but will soon attach to pork and the lard will clear. This serves to add a fat and sugar layer to the pork that enhances the final outer crispiness. Cook at bare simmer for another 1/2 to 1 hour. Remove pork and place on a wire rack placed on a sheet pan and hold in a 275F oven for 15 minutes, or until ready to serve.
To serve, either cut into pieces with a knife, or pull apart with a fork. I like to serve it with warm corn tortillas or gorditas. Provide shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, onion and cilantro for toppings. A nice fresh salsa made with tomato, onion, serrano and cilantro goes well on top. Place meat on tortilla, add toppings, fold, and eat. It also makes great burritos, with or without refried beans.
It calls for simmering the pork in a huge amount of lard. Before anyone gets grossed out, let me assure you that the pork doesn't absorb the lard. In fact, the slow cooking allows most of the pork fat to cook out. What's left is very good. The outside is brown and crisp, and the inside is tender and moist.
I usually use boneless country-style ribs since they're always at Costco at a good price. Pork shoulder, cut into four or five pieces would work well. Loin will be too dry.
To reheat, place on a wire rack in a 300F oven until heated through. Much better than nuking.
Source:
Rick Thead based on Ninfa's in Houston that's in "Southwest Tastes", with some modifications from other recipes.
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