Carnitas
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2–3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into cubes
- 7 strips of orange zest
- Juice of the same orange
- 8 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 fresh jalapeno, halved and seeded
- 2 dried poblano chilis, rehydrated if available
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1/2 cup cola drink
- 1/2 cup lard, bacon fat, or vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp Tajin seasoning
- 1 can evaporated milk
Instructions
- In a large pan, sear the pork shoulder cubes in lard or oil until all sides are browned. Then remove the meat from the pan.
- In the same pan, add a bit more oil if needed and sauté the chopped onion, garlic, jalapeno, and rehydrated poblano chilis until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with cola, scraping up the flavorful bits from the bottom.
- Transfer the seared meat and sautéed vegetables into the instant pot. Add the orange zest and juice, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, oregano, cumin, kosher salt, ground cloves, ground pepper, lime juice, Tajin seasoning, and evaporated milk.
- Close the instant pot and set it to cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow a natural release of pressure after the cooking time is up.
- Once the instant pot’s pressure has been released, take out the pork cubes and a small amount of the cooking liquid. Place the cubes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently press them to flatten slightly.
- Lightly spray or brush the pork with avocado oil and broil in the oven until the edges are crispy.
- Serve the crispy carnitas in a bowl, drizzled with a bit of the cooking liquid to keep them moist but not soggy.
- Warm tortillas and top them with carnitas, fresh cilantro, Maldon salt, and a squeeze of lime juice. Optional toppings include shredded cheese, sour cream, and chopped onions.
Notes
goes really well with my Chori-queso
and my Tomatillo Salsa
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