Pork Carnitas
Source: Davidson College, Davidson, N.C.
The word carnitas, literally means "little meats," and this version features cumin, dark chili powder, garlic, onion and chipotle in adobo pepper.
Ingredients
8 lb. trimmed Boston butt pork
8 oz. onion, 3⁄8-in. dice
2 tbsp. chopped in water natural tub garlic
4 tsp. dark chili powder
2 tbsp. ground cumin
2 tbsp. ground coriander
2 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
2 oz. chopped fresh cilantro
4 cups Salsa Verde (recipe follows)
6 cups chicken stock
4 oz. chipotle in adobo pepper
Kosher salt to taste
Salsa Verde
Yield: 16.88 lb.
3 #10 cans drained tomatillos
1.69 lb. small dice jumbo yellow onions
63⁄4 oz. chopped fresh cilantro
63⁄4 tbsp. granulated cane sugar
12 oz. fresh jalapeño pepper
6 whole peeled garlic
Steps
To make Salsa Verde:
- Place all ingredients in food processor. Pulse so that all ingredients are fine chop.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper.
To make carnitas:
- Combine onion, garlic and spices together and rub into meat.
- Place pork into roasting pans. Top pork with Salsa Verde, stock and chipotle mixture. Place in combi oven.
- Set probe to “overnight” and internal temperature of pork to 170°F.
- When pork is done, remove from roasting pan; it should fall apart with forks. Shred pork.
- Take juice, stock, etc., place in pot and bring to a boil. Purée if needed with hand mixer. Thicken slightly with cornstarch slurry if needed. Adjust flavor to taste.
- Lay pork out in garnished pan. Pour sauce over pork. Serve with warmed tortillas.