Is it weird to describe a pork dish as "luscious"? That's the word that comes to mind when I eat this. This recipe is different than your average carnitas for a few reasons.
- Make a paste with the marinade ingredients instead of just adding them right to the meat. With the citrus juices and salt included in it, this helps break down the meat so you get more onion and garlic flavor.
- When you fry it after the pork is cooked, the brown sugar caramelizes and changes its flavor completely, making the pork silky and keeping it from drying out. It's so good, you guys. So good.
You'll need:
- 2 lb pork loin
- 1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 Tbs brown sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbs salt
- 1 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- juice of 1 lime
- juice of 1 orange
Marinate the meat:
First, trim the pork loin. Then cut it into 2 to 3 inch chunks. Place it into a freezer bag.
Put all the other ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Then pour it all onto the pork in the freezer bag. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Cook it:
Heat up a few Tbs of oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot on the stove. When it's hot, add the pork chunks (saving the marinade) so they sear a little. Then add the marinade into the pan and cover it. Simmer on medium low until tender, about 3 hours. Move the pork to a plate and shred it roughly, and discard the cooking liquid/marinade.
You can do this right away, or wait until you're ready to eat. Add 4 or 5 Tbs of oil to a large pan on medium-high heat and when it's hot, pan fry the shredded pork to to sear it. You won't know if it's working at first, but then once it does, you'll know - the pork will be dark brown or black as you flip it. I use tongs to toss it as it cooks. Overall it took about 10 to 15 minutes to get the flavor I wanted. Taste it and add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in tacos or on nachos, with wedges of lime on the side.
Suggested Soundtrack: "Vivir Mi Vida" by Marc Anthony
Not Your Mama's Pork Carnitas
Yield: 6-8
Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 3 H & 30 MTotal time: 4 Hour
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork loin
- 1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 Tbs brown sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbs salt
- 1 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- juice of 1 lime
- juice of 1 orange
Instructions
- Marinate the meat: First, trim the pork loin. Then cut it into 2 to 3 inch chunks. Place it into a freezer bag. Put all the other ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Then pour it all onto the pork in the freezer bag. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Cook it: Heat up a few Tbs of oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot on the stove. When it's hot, add the pork chunks (saving the marinade) so they sear a little. Then add the marinade into the pan and cover it. Simmer on medium low until tender, about 3 hours. Move the pork to a plate and shred it roughly, and discard the cooking liquid/marinade.
- You can do this right away, or wait until you're ready to eat. Add 4 or 5 Tbs of oil to a large pan on medium-high heat and when it's hot, pan fry the shredded pork to to sear it. You won't know if it's working at first, but then once it does, you'll know - the pork will be dark brown or black as you flip it. I use tongs to toss it as it cooks. Overall it took about 10 to 15 minutes to get the flavor I wanted. Taste it and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve in tacos or on nachos, with wedges of lime on the side.