Mexican Slow-Cooked Pork Carnitas
Easy slow cook dish you can make ahead. Leftovers keep refrigerated after the meal.
Easy slow cook dish you can make ahead. Leftovers keep refrigerated after the meal.
- Carbohydrate 0.927184375 g
- Cholesterol 121.9029494375 mg
- Fat 26.76170897875 g
- Fiber 0.0970851526260376 g
- Protein 32.9300109240625 g
- Saturated Fat 9.88560127 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (144g)
- Sodium 95.43821496875 mg
- Sugar 0.830099222373962 g
- Trans Fat 2.643889838125 g
- Calories 385 calories
Step-by-step
- Season pork with salt and pepper. In a medium pan on medium-high heat, brown pork on all sides for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Using a sharp knife, insert blade into pork, cutting small holes and insert garlic slivers. Season pork generously with cumin, adobo and garlic powder all over.
- Pour chicken broth in the crockpot, add bay leaves and chipotle peppers. Place pork in crock pot and cover. Cook low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, shred pork using two forks and combine well with the juices that accumulated at the bottom. Remove bay leaves and adjust salt and cumin (you will probably need to add more). Let it cook another 15-30 minutes.
Why is the meat wet instead of crisp? Achieving authentic carnitas requires managing moisture across three distinct cooking phases. Pork shoulder contains dense intramuscular fat and connective tissue that must break down completely during an eight-hour low-heat cycle, but long steeping in liquid leaves the exterior sodden. Browning the meat in a medium-hot pan for ten minutes before slow cooking initiates the Maillard reaction, developing early surface flavor that survives long immersion.
Shredding the meat directly into the accumulated juices after the initial cooking time allows the hot pork strands to reabsorb rendered fats and seasoning. Leaving the slow cooker uncovered for an additional fifteen to thirty minutes lets excess surface moisture evaporate. To achieve the traditional charred edges associated with carnitas, transfer the shredded meat to a high-heat cast-iron skillet after the slow cooker cycle finishes, pressing it flat until the bottom forms a deep brown crust.
Adapting this dish for different dietary needs requires minor adjustments to the braising liquid. Substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth or water when preparing this dish for strict vegetarians or those avoiding specific poultry proteins, though fat content will decrease and require careful monitoring in the skillet to prevent sticking.
