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Carnitas (Braised Pork)
Photo: Stephen Leonardi / Pexels

180 MIN

Carnitas (Braised Pork)

Pork slow-cooked in its own fat, then crisped under a hot grill.

dairy-freegluten-freeporkslow-cooklatin-americandinner

Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 lbpork shoulder, cut into large chunks
  • 1white onion, quartered
  • 6 clovegarlic, lightly crushed
  • 2oranges, juiced, and the squeezed halves kept
  • 2bay leaves
  • 1 tbspdried oregano
  • 1 tspground cumin
  • 1 tbspsea salt
  • 3 tbspvegetable oil
  • 2limes, cut into wedges

Method

  1. 1

    Rub the pork chunks all over with the salt, oregano and cumin.

  2. 2

    Put the pork in a heavy pot with the oil, onion, garlic, bay leaves, orange juice and the squeezed orange halves. Add water to come halfway up the meat and bring to a simmer.

  3. 3

    Cover and cook at the barest simmer for 2 hours 30 minutes, until the pork pulls apart under a fork with no resistance.

  4. 4

    Lift out the pork and discard the onion, garlic, bay and orange halves. Boil the remaining liquid hard until only the rendered fat and a few spoonfuls of syrupy juice are left.

  5. 5

    Shred the pork into large pieces, spread it on a tray and spoon over the reduced fat and juices. Grill on high for 5 to 8 minutes until the tips are dark and crisp, turning once.

  6. 6

    Squeeze lime over the top and serve with warm tortillas, diced onion and coriander.

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