Easy, Tender, Tasty Carnitas!
From: Isabel Eats
Cut the pork shoulder into large 4-inch chunks. Place in the slow cooker.
Add the lime juice, salt, ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to coat the meat with all the seasonings.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 7-8 hours. When tender, shred the meat by pulling it apart with two forks.
Mix in freshly chopped cilantro if desired.
Serve in tacos, gorditas, tostadas, burrito bowls or salads.
Cut the pork shoulder into large 4-inch chunks. Place in the Instant Pot.
Add the lime juice, salt, ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder, black pepper and 1 cup of broth. Mix thoroughly to coat the meat with all the seasoning
Lock the lid and set the steam release vent to the "sealing" position. Press the "manual" button and set the timer on high pressure for 40 Mins.
When the 40 minutes are up, let the pressure naturally release for 15 Mins. Then manually release the remaining pressure by moving the steam release vent to the "venting" position.
Open the lid and shred the meat with two forks. Mix in freshly chopped cilantro if desired and serve in tacos, gorditas, tostadas, burrito bowls and salads.
If you’re interested in making a large batch of carnitas and want to double the recipe, I recommend doubling all the seasonings except the salt. Once the carnitas are cooked and ready to eat, taste and season with more salt if desired.
To make this with pork loin, I recommend adding 2 tablespoons of cooking fat, either olive oil, coconut oil, canola oil or whatever you prefer. Since pork loin is a much leaner cut than pork shoulder, I’d also add 1/4 cup of liquid – either broth or orange juice. The meat won’t be as juicy as if you were using pork shoulder, but it’ll still taste great!
To freeze: Cool the carnitas in the fridge. Place it in an air-tight freezer bag, leaving about 2 inches of room at the top to allow for expansion, and freeze. It can be kept frozen for 4-6 months. To reheat, heat it up in medium pot on the stove or a large bowl in the microwave.
Carnitas Empanadas
Use: 1 - Package Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Buttermilk Biscuits
Separate each biscuit, cutting the individual pieces in half. Roll each piece of dough out on a floured surface until a 1/4 inch-thick disc has formed. Fill each disc with 3 tablespoons of the shredded pork stuffing. Fold in half and seal the edges closed with a fork. Poke the surface of each empanada 2 or 3 times with a fork. Arrange the empanadas on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the dough is golden-brown. Remove from the oven.
Serve, and garnish with sour cream. Enjoy!
Taken from this recipe
Carnitas Tacos
Serve meat in tortillas with cabbage, red onion, salsa, and lime crema. Sprinkle with lime zest.
Taken from this recipe
10 servings