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How To Make Carnitas - Savory, Delicious
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DESCRIPTION
In this recipe, chef Toby makes juicy and succulent pork carnitas that are perfect for your next taco night or stuffed in a sandwich.
TOOLS YOU'LL NEED
- Small Bowl
- Dutch Oven or heavy roasting pan with tin foil
- Measuring Cup
- Small Knife
- Kitchen hammer
PREP AHEAD
- Pre-measure ingredients
- Pre-heat oven to 265F
INGREDIENTS
- 3lb pork shoulder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp thyme
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 5 cloves of garlic
INSTRUCTIONS
- Peel 5 cloves of garlic by pounding them with a kitchen hammer, If you don't have one, you can use the back of a wooden spatula.
Peel 5 cloves of garlic
- Next, make 5 holes in the meat with a small knife and insert the peeled garlic.
Make holes in the meat and inset the garlic
- Now, make the rub by combining the salt, thyme smoked paprika, garlic powder, and olive oil.
Make the rub by combining salt, thyme, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and olive oil
- Rub the meat with the mixture on all sides. Place meat in the Dutch oven. If you don't have a Dutch oven, you can use a roasting pan. If you are using a roasting pan, cover the meat with 3 sheets of tin foil and make a good seal.
Rub the meat with mixture and place in the dutch oven
- Roast in the oven for 4 hours at 265F. Shred with 2 forks once it cools down and enjoy in tacos or tortas.
Bake in the oven and shred with two forks before serving
Carnitas With Pickled Onions
Carnitas Nutritional Highlights
(The Stuff That Fuels Your Body!)
Pork
- Besides being a high source of protein, a serving of pork is also a great source of potassium, zinc, and vitamin B6.
Smoked Paprika
- One tablespoon of smoked paprika contains almost 20% of the daily recommended value of Vitamin A, which is great for supporting growth and maintaining healthy eyesight!
Olive Oil
- Considered a "healthy fat," olive oil contains antioxidants, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K.
- These are known to help promote a healthy heart and brain.
Garlic
- While garlic is usually consumed in small quantities, it has been used for its medicinal properties for centuries.
- Garlic contains amino acids which help to build up muscle, and contains antioxidants that help fight free radicals that can cause illnesses like cancer and heart disease.
Carnitas: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is carnitas?
Carnitas is a popular Mexican dish made by cooking pork until it is very tender an shreds easily. Traditionally, carnitas is made by deep frying the meat, but we bake ours in the oven for a much healthier take.
What body part is carnitas?
Carnitas is typically made from the pork butt or shoulder of the pig. We use pork shoulder in this recipe.
What goes well on carnitas?
Carnitas is a very rich and flavorful meat, so it pairs well with bright flavors like lime juice, onions, and cilantro. Fresh condiments like salsas and guacamole also pair well with carnitas.
Are carnitas healthy?
Traditional deep fried carnitas are not typically a healthy choice, but our recipe uses only a small amount of olive oil, which is considered a heart healthy fat.
What can you make with carnitas?
You can serve carnitas in a variety of ways, such as in tacos, burritos, or tortas, which are sandwiches made with crusty bread rolls (we love making our rolls from scratch using our bread recipe!)
