DDD carnitas

This is my abstraction of a Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (DDD) recipe that I saw for carnitas in 2009. The recipe comes from Guy Fieri's visit to Los Taquitos Mexican Food Grill, in Phoenix, AZ, where the Ochoa family makes traditional Mexican cuisine.

Los Taquitos Carnitas

One Pork shoulder, bone-in, probably 6-8lbs.

2 cinnamon sticks

1 head garlic, with top sliced off

1-2 cups condensed milk

1-2 cups cola

1 tbsp salt

Water (to almost cover)

1. Trim a little fat off the top of the pork shoulder, but leave some on for flavor.
2. Slice the pork a bit, but leave bone in
3. In a large pot, place pork, 2 cinnamon sticks, garlic, condensed milk, cola, salt, and water to almost cover.
4. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer, simmer 2 hours in covered pot.
5. Remove meat and shred.

Once shredded, you can throw it on the grill with some oil to get crisp. Make tacos or burrito, with some pico de gallo.

ATK carnitas

Kinda funny that ATK is showing how to make "pork tostadas", really just carnitas. But the recipe looks pretty good anyhow. They call it "Tinga"

2 lbs. boneless pork butt/pork shoulder, cut into 1" cubes

1 tsp table salt

1 onion, cut into 4 pieces

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs thyme

3 garlic cloves

Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1/2 tsp dried oregano

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp dried chipotle powder

1 14oz can tomato sauce

1 cup pork braising liquid (reserved from pork)

2 bay leaves

Garnishes

Lime wedges

Queso fresco

Avocado, diced

Cilantro

In a large pot, add 6 cups cold water, onion, 2 sprig thyme, 3 garlic cloves.

Bring to simmer, then cover, and simmer over medium-low for about 1.25 to 1.5 hours, or until pork starts to shred.

Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.

Remove garlic, onion, thyme.

Shred pork (it's easy using a potato masher).

In a 12" skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion, oregano and pork, and fry for 7-10 minutes,

Fry over high heat for 7-10 minutes, until edges of pork are crisp.

To finish pork, add garlic & chipotle powder, cook stirring for 1 minute.

Add tomato sauce, braising liquid, and bay leaf

Cook until sauce reduces, 7-10 minutes.

To fry tortillas, heat 1 cup oil in skillet to 350F

Fry corn tortillas for a minute or two per side. Set aside on towel to drain.

Garnish with diced avocado, cilanto, queso fresco, and lime wedges

Carnitas #3

Here's the updated version, tweaking somewhat with the spices. I liked the previous one, though, very nice and mild.

Carnitas #3

1 whole pork shoulder, 3-4lb, preferably with bone, trimmed and cut into chunks.
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 onion, rough chopped
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp black pepper
1 large orange, sliced in rounds
8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 bay leaves
Cold water

1. To a big stock pot, add all ingredients. Add enough cold water to just cover the meat, bring to a boil (about 12-15 minutes at high heat), reduce heat to simmer.
   
2. Simmer over medium-low heat for 2.5-3 hours, until falling apart.

Results: very good, subtle flavored, very versatile: just as good in a taco as it is in a pulled pork sandwich. The "pork stock" developed as a result has really nice meaty, porky flavors for use in cooking noodles, etc., albeit with a slightly mexican twist.

I wonder if I could do a Chinese style carnitas in a similar way, but with fresh ginger, garlic, scallions, maybe still coriander, etc. I think the stock might be more versatile that way.

Carnitas #2 photos

All the pieces, waiting, including 3.5lb pork shoulder...




Trimmed, chopped, spiced, ready to simmer




After 3 hours, you have to simmer at least 2.5 for it to be fork tender.




Shredded up!




Leftover pork "stock":





For next time 1 tbsp salt is prob enough. 2 tbsp is pretty aggressive for the quantity, although the pork came out pretty perfectly seasoned, stock is slightly salty for my taste. Prob too much if you sauce it though.

Pork is delish, very mild but deep flavors.

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Carnitas #2

Most traditional recipes require you to confit, that is, braise slowly in its own fat, in this case lard. In lieu of adding fat to an already fatty cut, I'm going to simmer in water instead. Minus the onion, you could convert this to lard with ease: use seeds instead of ground spices, cover in melted lard, simmer at about 275-300 degrees for about 3 hours.

Carnitas #2

1 whole pork shoulder, 3-4lb, preferably with bone, trimmed and cut into chunks.
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 onion, rough chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp black pepper
1 large orange, sliced in rounds
8 whole garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
Cold water

1. To a big stock pot, add all ingredients. Add enough cold water to just cover the meat, bring to a boil (about 12-15 minutes at high heat), reduce heat to simmer.
   
2. Simmer over medium-low heat for 2.5-3 hours, until falling apart.

NOTES:
2 tbsp salt I originally used made the meat very well-seasoned, but perhaps slightly too well. Broth tasted a bit too salty. Revising the recipe down to 1 tbsp salt, then can add more as needed.

Flavors are very mellow; you just get more roundness in the meat; I can't really pick out orange, coriander, cumin or oregano, but they contribute good balance and roundness. I might consider doing more orange, and some more coriander/cumin for the future. A bit of chili powder probably wouldn't hurt anything either.