Paleo Party Pork Carnitas Food

PORK CARNITAS

Steps:

• Rinse and dry the pork shoulder. Salt and pepper liberally. Mix the oregano and the cumin with olive oil and rub all over pork. Place the pork in a slow cooker and top with the onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Squeeze over the juice of the orange and add the two halves. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 hours.
• Once the meat is tender, remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly before pulling apart with a fork. In a large saute pan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Press the carnitas into the oil and fry until crusty on one side. Serve.

DOUBLE-PORK CARNITAS

Steps:

• Place pork shoulder, pork belly, stock, salt, and pepper in a large heavy pot; cover and bring to a boil over medium-low. Reduce heat and simmer until pork is tender and shreds easily, about 2 hours. Uncover; cook 10 minutes to reduce liquid (but not completely). Remove from heat.
• Transfer half of pork and pan juices to a large skillet, preferably nonstick, and cook over high until liquid evaporates and pork begins to fry in its rendered fat. Fry, stirring occasionally and pressing on pork with spoon to break up, until browned and just beginning to crisp, 10-15 minutes. Most of the pieces should be bite-size with some smaller shredded and super-crisp bits in the mix. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Cover with foil to keep warm and moist. Repeat with remaining pork.
• Serve carnitas with tortillas, onion, limes, avocado, herbs, and cabbage.
• Do Ahead
• Pork can be braised (do not fry) 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

CRISPY PORK CARNITAS

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat to 300 degrees.
• Combine all ingredients in a large dutch oven, including the spent orange halves and juice.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, uncovered. Once it simmers, cover pot and transfer it to the oven.
• Cook until the meat falls apart when prodded with a fork, about 2 hours.
• Remove the pot from the oven and use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan and place it on a large foil-lined jelly roll pan.
• Remove and discard everything from the pot except the cooking liquid.
• Place pot over medium-high hear on the stove and boil until thick and syrupy, about 20-25 minutes. You should have about 1 cup of liquid remaining when it is finished.
• While the liquid is reducing, break each cube of pork into three pieces. Once the liquid has become syrup, gently fold the pieces of pork into the pot, trying not to break up the pork any further.
• Spread the pork back onto the foil-lined pan and evenly spread so there is a single layer. Place the pan of meat on an upper middle rack of the oven and broil on high until the top of the meat is well browned and the edges are slightly crisp, about 7-8 minutes. Using a wide spatula, flip the pieces of meat the broil the other side the same way.
• Serve in a tortilla will your favorite toppings.

PALEO PARTY PORK CARNITAS

Steps:

• Generously sprinkle the pork shoulder with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in large nonstick skillet set over high heat. Sear the meat on all sides until deeply browned, about 3 minutes per side.
• Transfer the pork to a slow cooker. Add the almond milk, broth, oregano, garlic, carrots, celery, bay leaves, lemon peel and onions. Set the slow cooker to low, then cover and cook until the meat can be easily pulled apart with a fork, 6 to 8 hours.
• Transfer the pork to a work surface and use two forks to shred the meat. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve. Transfer the pork to a serving platter, then ladle the cooking liquid over the meat and season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Place the avocado slices, lettuce leaves, half of the lime wedges, the cilantro sprigs and red onion slices on a platter. Squeeze the remaining lime wedge over the avocados to prevent discoloration. Have guests build their own carnitas lettuce wraps.