Carnitas with Creamy Salsa Verde
Yields: 20+ tacos
Time: 30 minute prep, 4.5-5 hour cook
Carnitas are credited to have originated in the state of Michoacán, Mexico. Fattier cuts of pork, including the shoulder, are braised for hours in lard using large, heavy-bottomed copper pots. The gentle braise, almost similar to a confit, slowly heats and tenderizes the pork until it falls off the bone. The result is a sumptuous and decadent pulled pork that melts in your mouth. In this recipe, I attempt to recreate that original process using a cast iron pot, rendered pork fat, and a grill. Bright, creamy, and spicy salsa verde cuts through the fat, elevating your eating experience with a lovely acidity and subtle sweetness. Enjoy these carnitas as tacos, tortas, or (like me) straight off the bone.
Carnitas Ingredients:
5-8 lbs. boneless or bone-in pork shoulder
2 limes
1 orange
2 jalapeños, halved
1 head of garlic, halved and peeled
Kosher Salt
Salsa Ingredients:
5-6 ripe tomatillos
1/2 white onion
1/2 ripe avocado
1 jalapeño
1 c. cilantro
Lime juice
Kosher salt
Taco Assembly Ingredients:
Small corn tortillas
White onion, chopped
Cilantro, chopped
Salsa verde
Carnitas
Lime wedges
Special Equipment:
Cast iron pot or dutch oven
Charcoal or gas grill
High power blender
Directions
Step One:
Flip pork shoulder so the fat cap is facing up. Using a very sharp knife, trim a few strips of fat off the top and set aside. Be sure not to cut too much meat off when trimming the fat. Season pork generously with kosher salt and let sit for 30 minutes.
Step Two:
Heat gas or charcoal grill to about 250º. It’s okay if the temperature fluctuates, as long as it stays in the 250º-300º range. If you do not have access to a grill, your oven at 250º will work just fine.
Heat a large cast iron pot or dutch oven over medium-high. Add strips of trimmed fat and sear until fat has rendered, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Discard any remaining solids. There should be about 1/2-1 inch of rendered fat.
Step Three:
While fat is still hot, add pork to pot with the fat cap side down. Place uncovered pot on the grill, close, and allow to sear for 30 minutes.
Step Four:
After 30 minutes, flip pork and add head of garlic and two jalapeños to pot, nestling within the pork if possible. Juice two limes and an orange directly over pork, making sure to catch any seeds. Cover pork with lid or tinfoil and cook for 4.5-5 hours.
If using bone-in, the pork is done when the bone falls completely off the bone with ease. Bone should be totally clean! If using boneless, pork should shred easily with just your hands or a fork.
Step Five:
To make salsa, start by charring tomatillos. This can be done on the stove over an open flame or on the grill. Char just until tomatillos are lightly blackened all over, 4-5 minutes. Add tomatillos, onion, avocado, jalapeño (for less spice, deseed first) and cilantro to a high-powered blender. Pulse until just combined. Add enough lime juice so the mixture is slightly runny, but not too thin. One and a half to two limes worth of juice should work. Season to taste with kosher salt and set aside for assembly.
Step Six:
When pork is done, remove jalapeño and garlic if wanted. I prefer to leave them in as they have been roasted to perfection and will melt perfectly into the meat. Let rest for 30 minutes.
Using a fork, tongs, or a gloved hand, shred the pork into bite sized strips.
Step Seven:
Toast tortillas over a low flame on the stove or grill until lightly charred. Assemble tacos with pork, a healthy serving of salsa verde, chopped onion and cilantro, and a lime wedge.
Love crunchy pork?
Kick these tacos up a notch with some added crunch. After rendering the pork fat in step two, reserve a few tablespoons for later. Once pork is fully cooked and shredded, reheat reserved fat in a large skillet over high heat. Add pork and sear for 3-4 minutes, flip and sear for 1-2 more minutes. This will add lovely, crisp brown bits of pork that give the tacos a pleasant crunch. This method is also a great way to reheat any left over pork the next day!
