Being from Texas, we will take any opportunity to celebrate a Mexican holiday!
Mostly, for the food, to be quite honest.
So, let's have carnitas!!
Carnitas literally means "little meats." It refers to shredded braised or roasted pork that usually ends up wrapped in a warm tortilla and smothered with some sort of yummy salsa. Traditionally, the pork is heavily seasoned and braised for 10 hours at a low temperature, shredded, returned to a shallow pan with the rendered fat and roasted for another hour to get all caramelized and crispy.
Folks, I can't usually wait that long.
So, I just season the pork, roast for a few hours, shred and serve!
Either way, it's so worth it so let's get started!
Carnitas
Serves 4, if you are using the leftovers for tamales and nachos and etc (coming soon!)
or 12, if you are eating it all at once!Adapted from Bon Appetit
3 1/2 ounces achiote paste (about 1/2 package) OR 3 1/2 ounces achiote seeds, pulverized
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2 jalapeño chiles, chopped
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5-7 pounds boneless Boston butt pork shoulder
20 corn or flour tortillas
Salsa verde (recipe coming soon!)
Chopped tomatoes
Sour cream
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Puree first 10 ingredients in blender until smooth.
Arrange pork in large roasting pan. Add achiote puree; mix to coat pork. Get your husband to rub the puree into the pork.
Cover pan tightly with foil. Roast pork until very tender, stirring occasionally, about 3 1/2 hours. Cool slightly. Coarsely shred pork. Mound pork in large bowl; add enough juices from roasting pan by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten as desired. Season with salt and pepper.
Wrap tortillas in paper towels or clean kitchen towel. Microwave on high until heated through, about 1 minute. Fill warm tortillas with carnitas. Top with tomatoes, salsa, and sour cream and enjoy!
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