Mexican Pork Carnitas - Slow and Fast Cooking

I have cooked pork carnitas many different ways, including trying to do it "traditionally" in lard. I'll just say "Hell to the no am I doing that mess again!" I can get moist, delicious results without all the greasy, messy lard business. My main inspiration for my carnitas comes from none other than Kenji at Serious Eats. I still make this full recipe from time to time, but I carve off some time by using jar salsa instead, and season various ways depending on my taste on a given day.

I make 4-5lbs whenever possible and eat the leftovers for a week. I will pluck some cold from the fridge for a snack; brown some in a pan, add avocado, and crack an egg over it for breakfast; throw some on nachos;and of course traditional tortillas and fixin's.

I also feel I need to say that every portion here is approximate. I don't really measure stuff any more as my recipe evolved. If I make the dry rub/seasoning and it doesn't seem like enough, I toss in more. Need more liquid? Add more. It isn't a science for me, is what I'm saying, but it always comes out SO DAMN GOOD. I just got done stuffing my face with cold leftovers from making this last night. Nom nom nom.

INGREDIENTS

3-5 lbs boneless pork shoulder

1 onion, quartered

3-5 cloves garlic

4 Tbsp cumin

4 Tbsp oregano

2 Tbsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp sea salt

fresh cracked pepper as desired

2 cups chicken stock or water

1 cup orange juice or juice from one large orange

optional: 1 16oz jar salsa verde in heat level of choice*
optional: a hot pepper of choice, seeded and sliced

FIXINGS

tortillas, warmed in foil in the oven (we prefer flour)

sour cream

avocado/guacamole

cilantro

some of the green salsa*
pickled red onions

hot sauce

queso fresco

fresh limes

side of beans and/or rice

*Spoon out some of the green salsa if you want some with your meal. If lots of people are having this, just get a second jar.

SLOW COOK METHOD - Stove / Oven

1. Pre-heat oven to 275.
2. Smash and cut garlic into small chunks.
3. Cut pork into 3-4 inch cubes. Combine dry ingredients (cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper) and sprinkle/pat/rub all over meat. Slice little holes in the meat and poke garlic inside.
4. Heat a high smoke point oil (like safflower or canola oil) in open Dutch/French oven over medium-high heat (or similar pot that can later go in the oven with a lid). Using tongs, brown sides of pork chunks and then set aside.
5. Deglaze pan with chicken stock or water. Toss in onions and break apart, add more smashed garlic if you like (I like) and any sliced peppers you are using. Tuck meat into pot--you're looking for a tight fit in a single layer as is possible, with the garlic and onion smashed between the meat chunks.
6. Pour the jar of salsa over the top of the meat, if using. Pour orange juice or water into jar to swish out the last bits of salsa and pour that into the pan as well, filling the pot so the liquid level is covering halfway up the meat.
7. Put lid on pot (or tightly wrapped foil in a pinch) and cook for 2.5-3 hrs
8. Line a baking sheet with a layer of foil or two. Remove cooked meat to sheet (it should be fairly falling to pieces). Shred with two forks. Move baking rack higher up in the oven and set to broil. Crisp meat in 3-5 minute intervals, using tongs to turn meat in between to get more crispy bits. This step is optional, but for me it's not. The crispy bits are where it is AT!**
9. Alternately, you can just take the portion you are eating immediately and crisp it in a pan on the stove, storing the rest of the meat in its own foil wrapped tightly in the fridge.
10. While the shredded meat is browning, put tortillas into foil and close loosely, placing on the bottom rack of the oven to steam/warm. Then I prep the fixings I like best: sour cream, avocado, shredded cheese (we like to buy Tillamook Mexican cheese blend for simplicity), some of the green salsa, and fresh cilantro and lime wedges. My husband goes simpler with just the sour cream and cheese, sometimes a hot sauce of choice over the top.

"FAST" COOK METHOD - Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot

This cuts prep time down and halves the cooking time, so while it is still 90 minutes in the pot, it's a lot less time from fridge to the table.

1. Cut pork into quarters. Season all over with dry ingredients (cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper). Cut small cavities in meat and stuff chunks of garlic inside.
2. Set IP to sautee, heat oil, and brown all sides of the meat (if yours has no sautee function, do this in a pan on the stove before transferring to the pressure cooker).
3. Add liquids (stock/water/OJ), onions, peppers (if using), and additional garlic if you like (yes, yes I do). Pour salsa over the top, if using.
4. Cover and set to high for 75-90 minutes (depending on size of shoulder you got). You can quick release or natural release, depending on how eager you are to get it outta there. Use this time to prep your toppings/fixings, including setting the tortillas in foil sleeve in a warm oven for at least 5 minutes before you eat.
5. If you're in a hurry, you can shred this right in the IP and eat now. I still always brown my meat under a broiler, so if you want to do that, jump to Step 8 in the Slow Cook method above to continue. Alternately, some people will pour the cooking liquid out of the pot and brown it in there to make this more of a "one pot meal". Just add some oil and brown in batches.**

**If you over-dry your carnitas, you can always just spoon some of the cooking liquid back into the shredded meat to juice it back up again. I haven't needed to do this, but it's good to have in your back pocket just in case it gets too dry for your taste.

FROM FROZEN
One of the best things about an IP is the ability to cook from frozen cuts. I recommend no larger than a 3lb boneless cut for this method, because it probably won't fit in your liner if it's larger and can't be cut down due to it being a cold brick!

You can't sear or stuff this meat, obviously, so the flavor won't be as good, but it's good in a pinch, and you can season it up on the back end, and make sure to include delicious additional ingredients like queso fresco, sliced jalapenos, radishes, etc.

1. Season frozen shoulder/butt with salt and pepper and put in pot.
2. Add all ingredients to the pot, pouring stock/water/juice in, adding onions and garlic, and all dry ingredients. Pour salsa over the top last. Close lid, set to high pressure and cook 30 minutes per pound. NATURAL RELEASE is important on this one. It gives it a little more cook time, but also allows the meat to reabsorb some of the moisture it released during cooking.
3. At least 5-10 minutes before you're ready to open the lid and shred the meat, warm your tortillas and prep your toppings.
4. Jump to Step 8 in the Slow Cook method, or just shred in pot and serve without crisping if you're in a hurry. Add more salt/pepper/seasoning as you like to the shredded meat to taste.