Carnitas - Milk St.

[QSis]

I had been wanting to try these for a long time, and just found a small pork butt (4 lbs.) on sale. Got some nice low carb tortillas and went for it.

OMG!!!!! They are absolutely scrumptious!!! And I don't use that word loosely! In fact, I might love them a little bit more than my beloved smoked pulled pork! And the house smells heavenly for hours!

The pork is delicious before crisping up, but even BETTER after crisping it in a spoonful of pork fat! I was afraid it would be dried out and chewy, but not at all!

I served it with pico de gallo and a vinegar-sauced Salvadoran-style Slaw. Perfect!

Can't wait to have another one tonight!

Lee

Carnitas – Milk St. https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/carnitas

5-6 POUNDS BONELESS PORK BUTT, NOT TRIMMED, CUT INTO 2-INCH CUBES​

1LARGE YELLOW ONION, HALVED AND THINLY SLICED

• 10 MEDIUM GARLIC CLOVES, SMASHED AND PEELED
• 2 TABLESPOONS GROUND CUMIN
• 2 TABLESPOONS GROUND CORIANDER
• 2 TEASPOONS DRIED OREGANO
• ½ TEASPOON DRIED THYME
• 1 TEASPOON RED PEPPER FLAKES

KOSHER SALT AND GROUND BLACK PEPPER

1 CUP GRAPESEED OR OTHER NEUTRAL OIL

1. Heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the lower-middle position. In a large (at least 7-quart) Dutch oven, stir together the pork, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, oregano, thyme, pepper flakes and 2 teaspoons salt. Stir in the oil and 1 cup water. Cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hours.
2. Remove the pot from the oven. Stir the pork and return the pot, uncovered, to the oven. Cook until a skewer inserted into the meat meets no resistance, another 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer to cool. Tilt the pot to pool the cooking liquid to one side, then use a wide spoon to skim off as much fat as possible; reserve the fat. Bring the defatted cooking liquid to a simmer over medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about ⅓ cup, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. When the meat is cool enough to handle, break the chunks into ¾- to 1-inch pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat. Add the pork back to the pot and stir until evenly moistened with the reduced cooking liquid.
4. In a nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat 1 teaspoon of the reserved fat until barely smoking. Add the pork in an even layer and cook without stirring, pressing the meat against the skillet with a spatula, until the bottom begins to brown and the pork is heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Tip: Don't trim the fat from the pork shoulder. The pork should render its fat in the oven and so the meat cooks slowly in it and the juices. And after cooking, don't discard the fat you skim off the cooking liquid—you'll need some of it to crisp the shredded pork in a hot skillet.​

Pork before crisping

After crisping