Carnitas
Composing the Carnitas
This popular dish from Mexico usually requires simmering chunks of pork in lard, followed by shredding the meat and serving on a warm tortilla. In this version we make it a bit healthier by braising the meat in beer and fruit juices until the liquid is largely absorbed and the pork chunks fall apart easily while shredding. It is inspired by a recipe from Williams-Sonoma with adjustments for spices, the cut of meat, and the braising temperature.
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork ribs cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 yellow or white onion in small dice
2 cloves of garlic minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bottle Mexican amber beer, such as Bohemia or Indio
Grated zest and juice from 1 large orange
2 Mexican limes, quartered
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Place the cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and oregano in a small bowl. Mix to combine.
Place the pork chunks in a one gallon plastic bag. Toss in the spice mixture and shake the bag to coat the pork evenly.
In a dutch oven heat the oil over medium high heat. In two or three batches brown the pork chunks about 2 minutes per side. Remove the browned pork to a plate. Drain all but one tablespoon of fat from the dutch oven and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes.
Add the beer to the pot and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the orange zest and the orange juice. Squeeze the juice from the limes into the pot and throw the lime pieces into the beer mixture. Stir to evenly disperse juices. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, and place in the oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until most of the juices have been absorbed and pork easily breaks up with a fork.
Carnitas in the Pot
Remove the pot from the oven and break apart the pork chunks with a fork. Stir the mixture so any remaining juices coat the meat.
Place a bit of the carnitas on a warm tortilla and garnish with your favorite condiment. This makes enough for 8 large tortillas, or 4 main course servings.