Crockpot Pork Carnitas
Crockpot Pork Carnitas
Pork Carnitas cooks slowly in a crockpot, before you put it into the oven to caramelize. This is the perfect filling for tacos, burritos or nachos. Don't skip the last step of this fabulous recipe.
Ready in: 3 hours
Serves: 12
Complexity: very-easy
kcal: 703
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Ingredients
2 kg boneless pork butt, trimmed & 5 cm cubes
2 tsp SIDS SALT & PEPPER to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 onion, peeled & halved
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp lime juice
2 cup water
1 orange, juiced & keep the skin
Directions
Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat to 150°C. Combine all the ingredients in a large Dutch oven, including the orange skin and juice. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, uncovered. Once it simmers, cover pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook until the meat falls apart when prodded with a fork, about 2 hours. You can also complete this step in a crock pot set on HIGH for 6-7 hours. You will have more liquid to reduce in the next step, however.
Remove the pot from the oven and turn on the griller. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan and place it on a large foil-lined jelly roll pan. Remove and discard everything from the pot except for the cooking liquid. Place pot over high heat on the stove and boil until it thickens and syrupy, about 20-30 minutes. You should have about 1 cup of liquid remaining when it is finished.
While the liquid is reducing, use two forks to pull each cube of pork into three equal sized pieces. Once the liquid has reduced, gently fold in the pieces of pork into the pot. Try not to break up the pork any further. Taste and add additional SIDS SALT & PEPPER.
Spread the pork back onto the foil lined pan and evenly spread the meat around so there is a single layer. Place the jelly roll pan on the lower middle rack of the oven and grill until the top of the meat is well browned and edges are slightly crisp, about 5-8 minutes. Using a wide metal spatula, flip the pieces of meat and grill the other side until well browned and edges are slightly crisp, 5-8 minutes. Serve immediately in a tortilla with all your favourite toppings.