Tacos, Carnitas

Malzemeler

For the Pork and Cure:

•4–5 lb pork shoulder, cut into 2–3 inch cubes, bone removed (about 1.8–2.3 kg)

•50g salt (3 Tbsp)

•2g dried oregano (2 tsp)

•10g onion powder (1½ Tbsp)

•30g minced garlic (6-8 cloves)

For the Braise:

•100g (about ½ cup) water or stock

•1 cinnamon stick

•4 bay leaves

•1 orange, quartered and juiced into the pot

Finish and Serve

•150g (about ⅔ cup) rendered pork fat, reserved from cooking

•150g (about ⅔ cup) pork gold (cooking liquid), reserved from cooking

•flour tortillas, warmed

•white onion, chopped

•cilantro, chopped

•salsa taquera

Yöntemler

1. Cut a 4–5 lb pork shoulder into 2–3 inch cubes, removing the bone if necessary.

2. Combine cut pork with salt, garlic, onion powder, and oregano, to coat each piece. Cure in fridge 1 hour.

3. Pack the pork snug in an even layer in a dutch oven.

(mine is 6.75 qts, use slightly less meat if your pot is meaningfully smaller than that.).

4. Add 1 cinnamon stick, 1 quartered-and-juiced orange, bay leaves, and water or stock. Cover and roast at 250°F for 3 hours, flipping pieces of pork over after 90 minutes.

5. The pork si done when it’s shreddable when you pull it apart with forks, but not fall-apart.

5. Rest covered at room temp 30-60 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.

6. Once fully chilled, remove pork from pot and separate the rendered fat from the cooking liquid (pork gold). Shred the pork into a mix of medium chunks and finer strands, removing pure-fat bits.

7. Mix about 150g rendered fat and 150g pork gold into the shredded pork until evenly coated.

8. Crisp in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat for about 90 seconds while pressing flat to ensure pan contact. Flip, and fry for additional 90 seconds or until about 40% of the pork is golden and crispy. A pro move to finish is splashing in a little more pork gold to ensure moistness.

9. Serve on warm flour tortillas with onion, cilantro, and dried chile salsa.