Mains

Carnitas

Remember that ice cream bar that asked you, what would you doooo for a …

Screw that – i’d do anything for great carnitas. Crispy on the outside, porky on the inside, done well it’s one of nature’s greatest foods.

Unfortunately, to do it well you kinda need a fryer, and while fun the fryer isn’t always practical. Enter the electric pressure cooker and the broiler.

The pressure cooker gets the meat done meltingly tender fast, the broiler makes it crisp, your tummy says yummy.

Serves 8-12 depending
Time: 2 hours end to end


Mise en Place
SPICES STAPLES
1 tbs toasted cumin, ground 1 medium onion, diced
1 tbs dried oregano 6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf 1 can lager
1 tsp chili powder canola oil
1 tsp kosher salt per lb of meat FRUIT
ground pepper 1 large orange, juiced
MEAT 2 limes, juiced
3-4 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 2ish inch hunks

Equipment
1 electric pressure cooker
1 sheet pan
1 broiler, high

Directions
Step Action
1 season pork with salt and pepper
2 put cooker on saute mode, wait till its good and hot
3 cover bottom with oil and sear pork pieces, in batches, till brown 3-4 minutes a side
4 after all pork is done add onion and cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes
5 add garlic, cook one minute
6 add spices, cook one minute
7 add pork back to pot
8 add juices and beer to pot
9 cover and set to high pressure for 45 minutes
10 when done, unplug and let cool 30 minutes
11 vent, extract pork to a sheet pan
12 plug cooker back in and turn to saute mode
13 skim off fat and discard
14 reduce remaining sauce a bit
15 shred pork, toss with a few tbs of the sauce
16 place pork under broiler. watch carefully, you want it to singe a bit but not burn
17 extract from broiler
18 serve! in tacos, or burritos, or with fried rice, or in a salad, or by the handful, or …

Categories: Mains

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