Ernestos Mexican Food Carnitas Recipes

PORK CARNITAS RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or Cast Iron Pot place the pork, lard, water, garlic, and salt. Cook covered on a medium heat to a boil. Reduce to simmer for about 45 minutes until pork is almost tender.
• Uncover and turn the heat to medium high to reduce the liquid.The meat will start frying in its own fat and lard at this point. Carefully brown the meat at medium low heat stirring frequently until pork is evenly browned. About 15 to 20 minutes. At this point do not over cook or you will get very dry meat.
• Serve with hot tortillas and green salsa.

CARNITAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, combine pork, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and the oregano, and toss to evenly coat the meat in the spices. Squeeze orange juice all over the pork and add the juiced orange quarters to the pot. Add onion, garlic, cinnamon stick and bay leaf, and toss until well incorporated, nestling everything in an even layer. Drizzle oil evenly over the meat. Cover and braise in oven until pork is tender, about 2 1/2 hours, stirring once halfway through the cooking.
• Heat broiler to high, setting a rack 6 inches from the heat source. Transfer pork to a rimmed baking sheet and shred the meat. Strain juices from the pot through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing on the solids; discard solids. Skim fat from top and reserve the juices.
• Broil pork until golden and crisp in spots, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer carnitas to serving plates and drizzle with some of the reserved juices. Serve warm with tortillas and toppings of choice.

CARNITAS DE MICHOACAN

Steps:

• Start with removing any excess pieces of fat from the pork.
• In a large,heavy saucepan, place the pork along with the orange zest, orange juice, cumin, bay leaves, onion, garlic and bouillon.
• Fill with water just so it barely covers the pork.
• Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 2 hours.
• Turn off the heat and allow the meat to cool and any excess fat to raise to the top.
• Remove the excess fat, and place the cooled pork in a large bowl.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• In a separate fry pan, heat the lard and fry the pork pieces for about 6 minutes, just so they turn golden; allow them to cool.
• Using your hands, pull the meat apart.
• In a comal over medium heat, heat the tortillas.
• Once you heated all of the tortillas, make tacos with the shredded meat and add your own favorite Mexican salsa.

CARNITAS 3 WAYS

Steps:

• Combine all seasoning in a bowl, mix well.
• Pleace meat in separate bowl and sprinkle seasoning and rub generously over meat - using all seasoning.
• Make Foil packet by laying out 2 long sheets of Heavy Duty Aluminium foil and make a cross.
• place meat on foil. Bring up sides of foil and fold making a packet.
• refrigerate for 6 hours (I marinade overnight, this gives it time to meld).
• SLOW COOKED: After marinating, place in a crockpot, cook 4 hours - the meat becomes very tender. Then transfer to a plate -- over Med-High Grill for 5 minutes to get a nice grill mark and crisp. Shred and eat in Tacos with Beans and Rice **** Our Favorite way to eat them*****.
• Or add 1 cup of water to the crockpot -- this makes the meat very tender and can be shredded for Burritos or tacos. (My Burrito Filling Recipe).
• GRILLING:.
• Preheat Grill- to 325 Place meat foil packet on grill and cover on indirect heat. Cook for 30 minutes then turn packet over and cook additional 30 minutes -- once more turn 30 minutes.
• Open foil packet carefully, With a fork remove from foil and place on the heat for 10 minutes and grill until grilled lines appear on outside.
• Serve in warm corn tortillas or with rice and beans. Or by itself.
• OVEN:.
• Preheat oven 325'.
• arrange meat in 9x13x2 baking pan into single layers.
• Cover pan tightly with foil.
• Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until very tender.
• Remove foil from pan and bake additional 15-20 minutes until meat is crisp on the outside.

CARNITAS A LA WHOLE FOODS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Farenheit.
• Stir pork pieces around in garlic, jalapeños, cumin, salt and pepper, then saute in olive oil at medium-high until lightly browned on all sides (about 10 minutes).
• Transfer to roasting pan and add juices and chicken stock, cover tightly to retain juices while cooking, and bake for 2-2.5 hours, until meat is very tender. (If juices cook out, add more chicken stock.).
• Allow to cool so pork absorbs remaining juices, pull apart with a fork.

MEXICAN CARNITAS

Steps:

• Place meat in a medium-size roasting pan. Sprinkle with garlic and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice from one orange and the lemon over the meat. Slice the remaining oranges and place over the meat. , Cover and bake at 350° for about 2 hours or until meat is tender. With a slotted spoon, remove meat and drain well on paper towels. Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet and fry meat in batches until browned and crispy. , Serve warm in tortillas with toppings of your choice. Freeze option: Freeze cooled pork mixture in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Fry meat in batches as directed until crispy and brown. Serve as directed.

ERNESTO'S MEXICAN FOOD CARNITAS

Steps:

• Heat oil to medium temperature. Place all ingredients in oil except sugar. Cook on medium temperature for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours.
• Take sugar and caramelize in small pan over medium heat almost to burn.
• Turn meat mixture heat to high and add caramelized sugar, stir and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
• Drain meat thoroughly.
• Serve with pico de gallo salsa, fresh homemade tortillas, frijoles and margaritas.
• Source: Luis Sanchez, Ernesto's Mexican Food, Sacramento, California.