Carnitas Delicioso!

Name: How to cook Carnitas Delicioso! - cookcic.com
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 10-12 servings
Cuisine: Us

Introduce

Chef :

Maggie Conlon Martin

Carnitas Delicioso!

Somewhat labor intensive, these authentic style Carnitas are SO worth the prep and slow-cook time! I always do the slow-cook of the pork the day before. Day 2 is when I broil/char the pork to serve with my homemade refried beans and warm flour tortillas.

Ingredient

Food ration :

10-12 servings

Cooking time :

7 hours

1 lb.

Lard (no substitute!)

1 c.

Bacon fat

3-4 lb.

Pork butt, cut into large pieces

lg. Orange, quartered

lg. Lemon, quartered

Limes, quartered

lg. Onion, peeled & quartered

10-12

garlic cloves, peeled

jalapeño slices (from a jar)

Cooking instructions

* Step 1

Preheat oven to 250°F. Place lard in large (turkey-size) roasting pan and place in oven to melt. Add bacon fat and set aside.

* Step 2

Prep all your ingredients while the lard is melting. The photo shows the cut sizes. A regular large roasting pan, as shown in this photo, is too small for cooking this dish. Use a larger/deeper turkey roasting pan.

* Step 3

NOTE!! I don't recommend a disposable aluminum turkey pan because lime juice eats a hole through aluminum foil! (I learned this the hard way!)

* Step 4

Place pork pieces (fat side up) in the roasting pan with the lard & bacon fat. Squeeze the citrus pieces over the meat, and place them around the meat pieces, skin side down. (The large piece with fat cap has a wide flat bone running the length of the piece, which is why it's bigger.)

* Step 5

Add the garlic cloves, onion quarters and jalapeño slices to the pan. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin over the meat (to taste; I don't measure them).

* Step 6

Lay a sheet of parchment paper over everything to keep the limes from touching the foil. Then tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil, sealing well all around so steam doesn't escape while cooking.

* Step 7

Bake in 250°F oven for 6-1/2 hours. Turn off oven and allow pan to cool before removing foil.

* Step 8

NOTE: At this point, I usually refrigerate the pork pieces (discard fruit and lard) and finish the recipe the next night when I'm ready to serve it. But you can do it all in one day if you start early.