CARNITAS

While these carnitas might not be considered authentic, they surely still deliver on that delicious carnitas promise.

Method

Carnitas Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 °F.

  2. Season the pork generously in salt, then allow the pork to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

  3. Meanwhile, add the lard, orange juice and orange rinds, cola, onion, garlic, aby leaves, oregano, and cumin seeds to a large dutch oven

  4. Cover the dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium heat. 

  5. Add pork to the dutch oven, making sure to mostly submerge all of the pork pieces. Bring the liquid back to a simmer, then tansfer the uncovered dutch oven to the preheated oven. Allow the pork to cook for 1 ½ hours, making sure to stir every 30 - 45 minutes. 

  6. After 1 ½ hours, add the evaporated milk and stir to combine. Return to the oven to finish cooking for an additional 1 ½ hours.

  7. Shred and serve the carnitas; or separate the meat, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and refrigerate overnight.  

  8. When ready to reheat, roughly chop or shred the carnitas and toss with a few tablespoons of the reserved large mixture (melted, if necessary). Add the carnitas to a sheet tray and broil for about 8-10 minutes. Alternatively, reheat on the stovetop in a large skillet until heated through, about 6-8 minutes.

Carnitas Tacos Method:

  1. Add 2-3 tablespoons of carnitas to each tortillas. Top with cilantro and white onion. Then, garnish with lime wedges before serving immediately. 

Carnitas Taquitos Method:

  1. Preheat ¼ inch of neutral oil in a large skillet to about 350 °F. 

  2. Warm tortillas to make them pliable over an open flame.

  3. Add 2-3 tablespoons of carnitas to the tortillas, then roll tightly. 

  4. Once rolled, secure the rolled tortillas with a pair of tongs or by inserting toothpicks.

  5. Carefully lift and place the taquito into the preheated oil seam side down. Fry the flautas until sealed, about 1-2 minutes, then continue frying until golden brown on all sides, 1-2 minutes per side.

  6. Transfer the fried flautas to a paper towel-lined sheet tray. If applicable, remove the toothpicks from the flautas before serving.

  7. Garnish with a drizzle of crema, a sprinkle of cotija cheese, lime wedges, and cilantro leaves. Optionally, serve the flautas over a bed of iceberg lettuce. 

Carnitas Nachos Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 °F. 

  2. Assemble nachos as desired: layered chips, cheese, and toppings of choice. 

  3. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese has fully melted.

  4. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, and radishes.

Carnitas Cuban Sliders Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Place a large sheet tray into the oven to preheat.

  2. Cut the slider buns in half horizontally and brush the cut-side with melted butter.

  3. Place the bottom half of the buns (cut-side down) on a another sheet tray.

  4. Spread the bottom half of the buns with mustard and layer with ham, carnitas, dill pickles, and swiss cheese. 

  5. Add the top half of buns (cut-side up), then place the preheated sheet tray to the top of the slider stack. Weigh the sheet tray down with a large cast iron pan to compress the sliders. 

  6. Bake the sliders in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, then remove the weighted sheet tray and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and warmed through.

  7. Serve warm. 

Ingredients

Carnitas Ingredients:

  • 3-4 lb pork shoulder, cut into 2-3 inch pieces 

  • As needed kosher salt

  • 2 lb lard

  • 1 naval orange

  • ½ yellow onion, halved

  • 12 oz coca cola, preferably Mexican 

  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled

  • 2-4 bay leaves

  • 1 Tbsp dried oregano

  • 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted 

  • 5 oz evaporated milk 

Carnitas Tacos Ingredients:

  • Corn tortillas, warm

  • Carnitas 

  • White onion, chopped

  • Cilantro leaves

  • Limes, quartered 

Carnitas Taquitos Ingredients:

  • As needed neutral oil 

  • (6-inch) Corn tortillas 

  • Carnitas

  • Crema

  • Cotija

  • Limes

  • Cilantro leaves

  • Optional: bed of iceberg lettuce 

Carnitas Nachos Ingredients:

  • Tortilla chips 

  • Shredded cheese of choice (monterey jack, cheddar, ect.)

  • Jalapenos, sliced

  • Red onion, diced 

  • Pico de gallo 

  • Carnitas

  • Crema 

  • Guacamole

  • Radishes, thinly sliced

Carnitas Cuban Sliders Ingredients:

  • Slider rolls

  • Unsalted butter, melted

  • Yellow mustard

  • Deli ham, thinly sliced

  • Carnitas 

  • Dill pickles 

  • Swiss cheese

Emilija Saxebasics with babish, carnitas, carnitas tacos, carnitas taquitos, carnitas nachos, carnitas sliders