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Recipes Main Course Pork
Recipes Main Course Pork
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| Servings: | 8 |
| Author Notes: |
Every time I visit my favorite Mexican market in Oakland, I can't resist buying a pound or two of pork carnitas for the ride home. These beautifully browned and succulent pork nuggets (carnitas in Spanish means "little meats") are made by slowly cooking large chunks of pork in a copper vat filled with hot lard. Usually the meat is seasoned with nothing more than salt, then cut up or shredded and eaten either wrapped in tortillas as tacos or burritos, or used as a filling for a Mexican sandwich called a torta (see Chef's notes). I also like to eat the meat as is, shredded or chopped and topped with fresh tomato salsa, some Citrus Marinated Red Onions (see page 205 of Bruce Aidells's Complete Book of Pork) and a scoop of guacamole. Chef's Notes: For a simple but classic variation on this recipe, put the uncooked pork in a large casserole or Dutch oven with water to cover by 1/2 inch. Add the juice of 1 freshly squeezed orange, 2 bay leaves, 1 cup diced onion, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover, and lower the heat to maintain a simmer. After 1 hour, uncover, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the meat begins to brown in its own rendered fat, abut 45 minutes. Stir to prevent scorching. When cool, shred the meat by hand and sprinkle with a little salt before eating. Use carnitas to stuff warm tortillas. To make tortas, spread shredded meat on soft Mexican rolls called bollios, slather with guacamole and mayonnaise, and top with shredded cabbage and thinly sliced tomatoes. If you can't find bollios, use French rolls instead. To rewarm carnitas, wrap in foil and heat in a 350° F oven for 15 minutes. |
| Ingredients: |
Carnitas Spice Rub: 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons pasilla chili powder (or any pure ground chili, such as ancho or New Mexico) 3 pounds boneless Boston butt, cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces, trimmed of visible fat 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 cup chicken stock 1 large onion, diced |
| Instructions: |
Makes about 4 Cups 1.To make the rub: In a medium bowl, combine all of the rub ingredients. 2. Add the pork to the rub and toss well to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or up to 48 hours. 3. In a large, deep covered skillet or casserole, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in small batches or prevent over crowding the pan, cook the pork until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pork with a slotted spoon as it's cooked to a plate and continue cooking remaining pieces. When all the pork is browned, set the pot aside, leaving the fat and juices in it. (Do not drain.) 4. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir the vinegar with the honey until the honey dissolves. Stir in the chicken stock and add the mixture to the pot, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Add the onion and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer, return the pork to the pot, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is fork-tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 5. Remove the cover and increase the heat slightly to maintain a lively simmer. Continue to cook until the liquid has evaporated and the fat from the pork is bubbling, about 30 minutes. As soon as the pork begins to brown, stir regularly to prevent burning. The pork is done when it has become golden to dark brown and is nicely crisped. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. Transfer the pork with a slotted spoon to a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels. 6. At this point, the cooled pork can be shredded by hand, chopped with a knife, or left, as is, with a mixture of large and small pieces. |
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