Carnitas

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Traditional carnitas, Mexico's version of pulled pork, is fried in gallons of lard or oil. The results are tasty, but who wants to deal with all that hot fat? We wanted to create restaurant-style carnitas-tender chunks of lightly crisped, caramelized pork, subtly accented with oregano and citrus-without the hassle of frying. Our initial recipe for carnitas started by simmering the meat (taste tests proved boneless pork butt had the best flavor) in a seasoned broth in the oven and then sauteing it in some of the rendered fat. The flavor was OK, but too much of the pork flavor went down the drain when we discarded the cooking liquid. So we kept the liquid and reduced it on the stovetop (after the meat had been removed) until it developed the consistency of a thick, syrupy glaze that was perfect for coating the meat. Broiled on a rack set over a baking sheet, the glazed meat developed a wonderfully rich flavor and the rack allowed the excess fat to drip off. We emulated the flavor of the Mexican sour oranges used in authentic carnitas with a mixture of fresh lime and orange juices. Bay leaves and oregano provided aromatic notes, and cumin brought an earthy dimension that complemented the other flavors.

Ingredients:

3.5 to 4 pounds pork shoulder cut in 2 inch cubes
1 t mexican oregano
1 t cumin
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 T lime juice
1 small onion halved
1 whole orange, halved and juiced to remove seeds
2 c water

Place all ingredients in a dutch oven and heat to a simmer covered before before moving to a 300F oven for about 2 hours until fork tender.  Flip meat over after 1 hour.

Turn oven to broil.

Remove meat from pot and set aside.

Remove solids from pot and discard

Reduce liquid on stovetop, boiling 10 -15 minutes until it becomes a glaze.

Meanwhile break pork pieces in half.

Dump the glaze on the meat and stir to coat.

place meat on a rack in a sheet pan and broil on a lower rack.

Broil 5 -8 minutes, turn over the meat and broil another 5 - 8 minutes until crisp.

Serve on

toasted corn tortillas with:
lime juice
diced red onion
cilantro