This recipe has become my go to for hosting friends and family. It makes a lot of food, isn't too much work, is great leftover, and is extremely versatile. You can make carnitas tacos one night, then use leftovers for burrito bowls, chilaquiles, nachos, you name it. It also happens to be a delicious vehicle for hot sauce.
Rich, confit-style pork wants something bright and green to cut through the fat, not more heat piled on top. That's why Green Jalapeño Cilantro works so well here: the cilantro and vinegar cut the richness, while the char on the broiled pork bits echoes the whisper of smoke in the sauce. This is the sauce doing what it's designed to do: make meals taste better, not steal the show.
Instructions
- Place pork in slow cooker, fat cap down.
- Apply salt and pepper all over. Depending on how thick your cut is, you may need a bit more salt than you think.
- Toast whole cumin and coriander for a few minutes in a pan on low-medium heat until fragrant. If using pre ground spices, skip this step. Grind the spices into a fine powder. I use a molcajete for this.
- Apply ground cumin and coriander to the top of the pork. Add whole jalapenos and halved sweet onions to the top of the pork. I like to use smoked onions for a bit of savory depth that works well with the char we'll get at the end. Add garlic cloves all over. Add orange juice.
- Cover and cook on high for at least 7 hours, or on low for 10 hours.
- Once the fat has rendered and the pork is tender, loosely shred with kitchen tongs. I like varying sizes of meat for texture so I don't shred it too much. Try to get as much pork under the rendered fat base for it to cook and fry in. This gives it deep flavor and keeps it moist. We're basically making a pork confit.
- Once you reach your cook time, nearly all the fat should be rendered into a liquid base the rest of the pork has been frying in. If any of the pork is still tough or there's still large chunks of fat, cook for another hour and check again.
- Preheat your broiler of choice. I've used a wood fired oven to great effect, but normally use a gas convection oven. You want something that can fire the top of your carnitas dish to introduce some crispy burnt ends.
- Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to pull the pork out onto a baking sheet or baking dish. The pork should still have a bit of the juice/fat in it but most of it should be left behind by the strainer. Pour more juice on top of the pork if desired.
- Broil the carnitas until the top is heavily browned or blackened depending on your preference. Mix the pork to reveal bits that need more char. Repeat until satisfied.
Applications:
Tacos
Make some corn tortillas with Masienda masa and top with carnitas, diced white onion, cilantro, and Green Jalapeño Cilantro hot sauce.
Burrito Bowl
Make some cilantro rice and top with carnitas, black beans, cilantro, and a hot sauce / sour cream crema.
Chilequiles
Check out our recipe here.
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