Pork Carnitas
- Minutes to Prepare:
- Minutes to Cook:
- Number of Servings: 12
Ingredients
4-5-pounds pork should, cut into 5-inch chunks, trimmed of excess fat1 tablespoon coarse sea salt2 tablespoons vegetable oilwater1 cinnamon stick1 teaspoon chile powder1 teaspoon spicy chile powder (like Ancho, etc)2 bay leaves.5 teaspoon ground cumin3 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly-sliced
1. Rub the pieces of pork shoulder all over with salt. Refrigerate for 1- to 3-days. (If this is too long for you just salt the meat before you prepare it)
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Heat the oil in a roasting pan set on the stovetop (I use a LARGE roasting pan). Cook the meat in a single layer until well-browned, turning them as little as possible dark before flipping.
3. Once all the pork is browned, remove them from the pot and blot away any excess fat with a paper towel, then pour in about a cup of water, scraping the bottom of the pan release all the yummy brown bits.
5. Add the pork back to the pan and add enough water so the pork pieces are 2/3rd's submerged in liquid. Add the cinnamon stick and stir in the chile powders, bay leaves, cumin and garlic.
7. Braise in the oven uncovered for 3-4 hours, turning the pork a few times during cooking, until much of the liquid is evaporated and the pork is falling apart. Remove the pan from the oven and lift the pork pieces out of the liquid and set them aside.
8. Once the pork pieces are cool enough to handle, shred them into bite-sized pieces, about 2-inches, discard chunks of fat.
9. Return the pork pieces back to the roasting pan and cook in the oven, turning occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the pork is crispy and caramelized. It will depend on how much liquid the pork gave off, and how crunchy you want them.
Number of Servings: 12
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user KALYMI1.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Heat the oil in a roasting pan set on the stovetop (I use a LARGE roasting pan). Cook the meat in a single layer until well-browned, turning them as little as possible dark before flipping.
3. Once all the pork is browned, remove them from the pot and blot away any excess fat with a paper towel, then pour in about a cup of water, scraping the bottom of the pan release all the yummy brown bits.
5. Add the pork back to the pan and add enough water so the pork pieces are 2/3rd's submerged in liquid. Add the cinnamon stick and stir in the chile powders, bay leaves, cumin and garlic.
7. Braise in the oven uncovered for 3-4 hours, turning the pork a few times during cooking, until much of the liquid is evaporated and the pork is falling apart. Remove the pan from the oven and lift the pork pieces out of the liquid and set them aside.
8. Once the pork pieces are cool enough to handle, shred them into bite-sized pieces, about 2-inches, discard chunks of fat.
9. Return the pork pieces back to the roasting pan and cook in the oven, turning occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the pork is crispy and caramelized. It will depend on how much liquid the pork gave off, and how crunchy you want them.
Number of Servings: 12
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user KALYMI1.
Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 349.6
- Total Fat: 25.0 g
- Cholesterol: 101.3 mg
- Sodium: 667.1 mg
- Total Carbs: 0.7 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 28.8 g
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