Crockpot Pork Carnitas

I fell in love with slow cooking pork after making these recipes – pulled pork sandwiches and pork tostadas.  So I was immediately intrigued by this recipe – which has a citrusy flavor imparted in the pork.  When I make a crockpot meal – I almost always prepare it in advance the night before and then either myself or my husband will turn on the crockpot the next day.  Well, I guess I didn’t read the recipe closely enough – because when I went to just throw this together at 9pm – I realized you are supposed to sear the pork and then cook onions/garlic before you put everything in the crockpot.  Regardless of that little oversight – it was still an easy recipe – but I would definitely plan this better in advance next time!

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 boneless pork shoulder, 3 to 4 lb.
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups Mexican lager-style beer
• Grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 Tbsp. dried oregano

For serving:

• Warm corn or flour tortillas
• Lime wedges
• red onion, diced
• avocado, diced
• queso fresco or any shredded cheese
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the salt and pepper. Season the pork roast generously with the mixture.

2. In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the pork and cook, turning frequently until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and set aside.

3. Add the onion and garlic and sauté just until they begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beer and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the pan bottom with a wooden spoon.

4. Transfer the pork to a slow cooker and pour in the beer mixture. Add the orange and lime zests and juices and the oregano.

5. Cover and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions until the pork is very tender, about 5 hours on high or 10 hours on low.

6. Transfer the pork to a carving board and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Using a large, shallow spoon or a ladle, skim as much fat as possible from the surface of the cooking liquid.

7. Using a knife and a fork, coarsely cut and shred the pork into small bite-size pieces.

8. Transfer the pork to a serving platter and moisten it lightly with the cooking juices, and serve immediately with the tortillas, lime wedges, chopped onion, avocado and cilantro.

Source: My life on a Plate – originally from Williams Sonoma

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Pork Tostadas

As I mentioned once before, my husband is not a huge fan of pork, although – he likes pulled pork.  So when I saw this recipe I thought it would be something he might like and it sounded very intriguing to me.  When I was actually cooking it – he voiced his displeasure that it looked ‘strange’, especially when I said that you top this with feta cheese.  Similarly to the recipe for beef tacos – the addition of your own fried corn tortilla – completely take this meal over the top.   We ate this for three days in a row and I was excited to eat it each time.  I actually wish I was eating it right now.
Ingredients
Tinga (spicy shredded pork):

• 2 lbs. boneless pork butt, cut into one inch pieces
• 2 medium yellow onions, one quartered, one minced finely
• 5 garlic cloves, 3 peeled and smashed and 2 minced
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• table salt
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 (14.5 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 chipotle chili in adobo, diced
• 2 bay leaves

tostadas:

• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 12 (6-in) corn tortilla
• salt

garnishes:

• feta cheese or queso fresco
• fresh cilantro
• sour cream
• diced avocado
• lime wedges
• diced tomatoes

Directions
1. Bring pork, quartered onion, smashed garlic, thyme, 1 tsp. salt and 6 cups of water to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that develops.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and cook until tender – 75 –90 minutes.
3.  Drain pork, reserving 1 cup of the liquid.  Discard onion, thyme and garlic.
4. Return pork to pan and shred with two forks or a potato masher.
5. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high.   Add shredded pork, chopped onion and oregano and cook until browned and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
6. Stir in tomato sauce, chipotle pepper, reserved liquid and bay leaves.  Simmer for at least 10 minutes, until almost all liquid has evaporated. 
7. To fry tostadas: Heat oil in a medium sized stockpot over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees.  Poke a few holes in the center of the tortilla.  Fry one at a time, using a potato masher to keep submerged.  Should take 45 to 60 seconds each.  Place on a towel-lined baking sheet. 
8. To serve: place pork on top of tostadas and top with garnishes.

Source: Cooks Illustrated March/April 2010
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Crockpot Pulled Pork

This recipe is just incredible - I've made it several times and I will definitely continue to make it.  It is a great meal for a party since it makes a lot of pork - but it's also great to freeze for later to have as an easy weeknight meal.   The hardest part of the entire process is separating the pork from the fat - but other than that - the crockpot really does most of the work. 

My husband will not eat pork unless it is 'pulled pork' with BBQ sauce (or bacon).  So I will probably not be posting many pork recipes (unless he suddenly decides he likes it).  
So enjoy! 

 

Ingredients

Spice Rub

• 1 tbsp. ground black pepper
• 1-2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tbsp. ground cumin
• 2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 4 tbsp. paprika
• 2 tbsp. table salt
• 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. ground white pepper

• 1 (6-8 pound) bone-in pork shoulder
• Your favorite barbecue sauce

Directions

1. Mix all spice rub ingredients in small bowl.

2. Coat meat completely with spice rub. Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.

3. Unwrap roast and place it in slow cooker and add about a 1/4 cup of water. Turn slow cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours, until meat is fork-tender.

4. Transfer roast to cutting board, discard most of the liquid in the pot.  “Pull apart” by tearing meat into thin shreds with two forks or your fingers. Discard fat.  (I use a separate discard bowl for the fat/bones and place the meat back into the crockpot).  I add back in a little bit of the liquid from the pot. 

5. You can keep the crockpot on low until ready to serve.  Serve with barbecue sauce on rolls.

Source: The Way the Cookie Crumbles

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