From the Notebook

Carnitas and How I am Slowly Becoming my Grandmother

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Carnitas and How I am Slowly Becoming my Grandmother

So… remember when you asked your grandmother for the recipe of your favorite dish and she said she did not have any? She would eyeball most of the ingredients and default all the laws of physics and, somehow, it all would work just fine in the end. I hate to admit, but I am slowly becoming my Grandmother. I don’t have recipes for most of the things I make. That’s why I am writing this culinary jou

Ingredients

For the rub

  • Smoked paprika, Hungarian paprika, hot chili, cumin, coriander, Mexican oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, your favorite no-salt seasoning, cayenne pepper (be careful; a little goes a long way), brown sugar, freshly ground black pepper, kosher or sea salt

For the pork

  • 1 (7-8 pounds) bone-in pork butt
  • 1 cup of orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 2 jalapeno pepper, halved
  • 7 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 3-5 whole allspice berries

To serve

  • Your favorite tortillas, your favorite toppings, such as salsa or pico de gallo, lime-cilantro crema (recipe follows), lime-cilantro coleslaw (recipe follows), shredded cheese (Mexican blend or your favorite)

Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw

  • 1 small cabbage, thinly sliced (use a food processor)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice (about 3 small limes)
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • 3 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro

Cilantro-Lime Crema

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (preferably whole milk)
  • 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • Juice and zest from one lime
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

  1. In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the rub. Rub the mixture of spices on pork, making sure to cover it completely. Refrigerate pork for 8-12 hours

  2. Place the onion, jalapenos, garlic, bay leaves, and allspice berries on the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the pork on top of the vegetables. Pour in orange and lime juice.

  3. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8-10 hours, until extremely tender.

  4. Transfer pork to a large bowl. Let it rest until cool enough to handle then shred it with two forks. Toss pork with about 1 cup of juices from the slow cooker. Reserve the rest of the juices. Refrigerate pork and pork juices overnight.

  5. Next day, skim the fat off the leftover pork juices and heat it in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry shredded pork in batches until brown and crisp.

  6. Serve warm in tortillas with toppings of your choice.

  7. Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw: Place the cabbage in a large colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss well to combine. Let it stand for up to one hour. Squeeze the cabbage to get read of some of the liquid and to soften the cabbage. Transfer to a large bowl. Add cilantro.

  8. In a medium mason jar, combine lime juice, lime zest, oil, mustard, honey, garlic, and black pepper. Shake well until combine.

  9. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and cilantro. Toss well.

  10. Cilantro-Lime Crema: In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together until well blended.

Bon Appétit

Originally published on Daga's Cooking Journal.