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Carnitas Stovetop (Mexican Pulled Pork)
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Carnitas Stovetop (Mexican Pulled Pork)

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By: Cindy Lam Lorimer
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Carnitas is a mouthwatering dish where tender, juicy pork is slow-cooked with spices until it effortlessly falls apart. Perfect for tacos, burritos, or simply enjoyed on its own, this flavorful classic brings the taste of Mexico to your kitchen with ease.

Ingredients 

Rub:

  • 2 Tbsp kosher salt
  • 4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 4 tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ cup olive oil

Ingredients:

  • 4 lb pork shoulder
  • ½ tsp whole cloves
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tsp whole cloves  
  • 1 orange, juiced plus its zest
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 bottle/can beer, preferably a darker beer like Guinness or Modelo Negra
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth

Instructions

  • Rinse and pat dry the pork shoulder with paper towels.
  • Mix all the ingredients of the rub together and rub all over the pork shoulder.
  • In a Dutch oven on medium high heat, add cooking oil and sear the pork shoulder on all sides for 3 minutes per side. Start with the fat side down. Remove the pork shoulder and set aside.
  • In the same Dutch oven, add chopped onions, jalapeno and garlic cloves and sauté until aromatic for a minute or two. Add the remaining ingredients and the pork shoulder, fat side up.
  • Bring it to a boil and cover with a lid. Lower heat to low and let it simmer for 5 hours, turning it over every hour. Occasionally, using a ladle, scoop broth over the pork to coat it.
  • After 5 hours, remove the pork from the Dutch oven.
  • Preheat oven to broil.
  • Strain the broth and place it in a small saucepan. Cook on medium high heat for 30 minutes.
  • Save one cup of the reduced broth.
  • Shred the pork and place it on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Take 1 cup of the broth and pour over the shredded pork. Mix together.
  • Place the baking pan in the oven on the top rack and broil for 5 minutes until the top of the pork is crispy. Not all areas will be crispy and that’s okay. Remove from the oven and pour the remaining broth all over the pork and serve!

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 2536mg | Potassium: 853mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 164IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 4mg

Equipment

  • Dutch oven

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