Recipe of frayed pork carnitas- a masterpiece of Mexican cuisine

Mexican cuisine is supposed to be one of the most prolific tasty dishes in the world. The main reason is the many foreign influences that the country has suffered over time. That's why we decided to pay him special attention through a series of articles devoted to his dishes. So, our first proposal is a carnitas recipe that will certainly please your palate. It is based on pulled pork previously marinated and cooked over several hours and it is this particularity that makes the final result extremely appetizing.

Source:  Kitchen trends 2020 - 2021

 

Mexican carnitas - definition, preparation and general information

Carnitas (literally "small meat") is a traditional dish that originates from the Pacific coast of central Mexico. Their main ingredient is pork prepared for a long time at very low heat, which gives it a super soft texture and as much succulence as possible. Then the meat is reduced to small pieces and accompanied by coriander, chopped onions, crushed or tomato sauce, guacamole etc.

Most often, pork frayed and sprinkled with a little lime juice, as well as the other fillings listed, are used to fill quesadillas (pictured above), tortillas, tacos, tamales, burritos and other traditional pita breads of this kind, usually prepared from corn. In the few paragraphs to follow, we are about to review and this classic presentation and its alternative variants.

Tip for a super-tender and crispy pulled pork without too much fat

For information, in the classic variant of the carnitas recipe, Mexicans use lard (or bacon) when cooking meat to give the future pulled pork a crisp and juicy texture at the same time. But young modern Mexicans have invented a less fat variant of the recipe without damaging its flavor. Whether you believe it or not, they use a little ... Coca Cola! Yes, you read that - this is the American soft drink already spread around the world.

Mexicans use the one that uses sugar cane as a sweetener, but you can use any one. If the idea does not suit you, you can skip this ingredient and barter it for a homemade marinade from ¾ cup beef broth, sweetened sugar or honey and a few fillets of soy sauce. In this case, you will also need to reduce the amount of salt and increase the volume of citrus juices a little. Keep in mind, however, that it is the sugars and acids in Cola that soften the meat and guarantee a pulled pork that makes you want to lick your fingers! You will also need:

2 kg of boneless, skinless ham, paddle or shoulder of pork

2-3 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

2-3 pinches of ground cumin (about 2 teaspoons)

1 tablespoon of dried oregano (Mexican or plain)

a large yellow onion, quartered

8 garlic cloves peeled

the juice of 2 limes

2 large squeezed oranges (about 3/4 cup fresh orange juice)

3/4 cup Cola Cola

2 bay leaves

Preparing the pulled pork in a few easy steps

To be honest, the preparation of the pulled pork itself is a basic process. In short, we mix all the ingredients and we make them leather in the oven or in the crockpot. If you have to explain in more detail, the preparation steps are as follows:

Take the meat out of the fridge at least 1-2 hours before preparation and let it rest. Place in a large baking dish with lid, adding salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, onion cut into 4, garlic cloves, lime juice and orange. Coke and bay leaves. Cover and bake on low heat for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours (or until meat falls to pieces).

Finally, take the pork on a board and shred it using two forks (do not throw the sauce!). To make it slightly crisp, adopt one of two strategies:

- Transfer the pulled pork on a baking sheet covered with a sheet of parchment paper and sprinkle with a ladle full of broth. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes over high heat or until the meat turns golden brown. Or :

- Heat about 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet or cast iron pan and make the pulled pork fry over high heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup of cooking broth and remove from heat when it is reduced to half;