Carnitas

Let's visit our neighbors to the south with some Mexican cuisine this week. Let's start with some Carnitas.

3-pound pork butt

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 1/2 cups lager-style beer (sub ginger ale for non-alcoholic version)

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

6 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped

Coarsely chopped jalapeño or serrano pepper to taste

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 long strip of orange peel, any pith removed

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1 long strip of lime peel, any pith removed

2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick, broken into 2 to 3 pieces

1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

Cut pork into 2 to 3-inch pieces and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil , and woking in batches, brown pork on all sides, removing to a platter after each batch is finished. If there are browned bits stuck to bottom of the oven, dd a splash of beer or ginger ale and scrape the pan; add the onion, garlic, and hot pepper to the rendered fat and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 1 minute (this is an important step to building flavor). Return the pork to the pan and turn pieces to coat; add the beer/ginger ale, orange juice and peel, lime juice and peel, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and oregano. Bring mixture to a steady simmer, cover tightly and cook, checking fluid level occasionally, until pork is fork tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Using a large slotted spoon, lift our pork pieces and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and set aside to cool. Strain the cooking liquid and discard the solids. Let the broth settle and skim off and reserve as much fat as possible, it is very flavor-able. Reserve 1/2 cup of the broth and set aside.

When the pork is cooled enough to handle, shred it, discarding any excess fat and gristle. Heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved fat in the cleaned Dutch oven over medium heat; add the shredded pork and reserved broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until broth has evaporated and pork is well browned; taste and adjust seasonings.

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Enjoy!!!

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