Pork Carnitas with Tacos, Pickled Onions and Coriander

pork carnitas recipe

pork carnitas recipe

Pork Carnitas with Tacos, Pickled Onions and Coriander

Recipe Type: Entree

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Caroline Artiss

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 2 hours 30 mins

Total time: 2 hours 45 mins

Serves: 6 people

This is my version of Kelly’s winning dish from Top Chef Season 7 Episode 2. Carnitas are just a wonderful way of eating pork. The pork is slow cooked and tastes so succulent and juicy when you eat it. This is a must to try out when having friends or family over – they will love you for making this.

Ingredients

  • Pork:
  • 3 pounds of pork shoulder or butt – 1.3 kg
  • 1 cup of orange juice
  • 4 cups of water (Or enough to cover the meat)
  • 2 teaspoons of sea salt
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 brown onion quartered
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and bruised

 

  • Pickled sweet Red Onions:
  • 3 large red onions
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 – 3 tbsp cider vinegar / or red wine vinegar

 

  • Other Ingredients:
  • Cilantro / coriander bunch
  • Taco’s – wholemeal to make it healthier.
  • Salad leaves – Optional

Instructions

  1. Pork:
  2. Cut rind off the pork and discard
  3. Cut pork into thick strips about three inches by one, you can leave a bit of fat on the pork as this helps it crisp up at the end and also add to the flavour
  4. Add pork to a large pot with the liquids and all other ingredients
  5. Bring to a boil and then simmer on very low heat with the lid on for 2 – 2 ½ hours.
  6. After about two hours, or when the meat is really soft turn heat up to medium high
  7. Continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated about 15 minutes
  8. Make sure you stir it a few times so that the pork doesn’t burn on the bottom
  9. The sweetness of the orange juice will start to caramelise the pork and it will turn brown and crispy
  10. Once the pork has browned, it’s ready
  11. If you prefer it slightly moist with a bit of sauce cook it less time

 

  1. Pickled sweet and sour onions:
  2. You can prepare this while the pork is cooking
  3. Cut red onions into chunky strips
  4. Heat a little olive oil in a pan with heat on low
  5. Add onions and gently cook for 10 minutes so that the sweetness comes out
  6. Add the vinegar and cook for another 2 minutes. Leave to one side.

 

To Serve

Place some pork meat into your taco with a spoonful of red onions, large sprinkle of cilantro and some salad.

Recipes, Entreecaroline artisspork, comfort food, Dairy Free, MexicanComment