Carnitas-Cochinita Pibil... Ready to Step-by-Step IT?

First the final step...

Crisping the Carnitas

All you have to do is pull the pork and crisp it in a heavy skillet. I always ladle in the braising juices for added flavor.

Yes, that's me doing the crisping... it was a pool party in honor of Donna Summer - thankfully Jake reminded me to engage my core before snapping the pic. 

Now, let's start at the beginning.

Patrick's Carnitas Method:

• Pork Butt Roast - I used two
• Three Oranges - Peeled and Separated
• Three Myer Lemons - Peeled and Separated
• Three Limes - Juiced
• One Yellow Onion - Pealed and Rough Chopped
• Six Jalapenos
• Three Habaneros
• Six - Eight Garlic Cloves
• One Tablespoon Coriander Seeds
• One Tablespoon Pepper Corns
• One Tablespoon Cumin
• Two Beers
• One Cup Tequila 
• Salt and Pepper

Now let's do this...

Pan Searing the Pork

Salt and Pepper the pork and sear over very high heat and set aside.

When the pork is done searing get your citrus ready - this is the key ingredient that takes a traditional carnitas and merges it into a Cochinita Pibil... I use oranges, lemons (for this one I had fresh Meyer lemons that are easy enough to peel and section like an orange) and limes...

Oranges

All the ingredients are going to go into a big roasting dish, so I just start adding them as they are prepped...

Pouring lime juice on oranges and lemons

Next I take an onion, peel and rough chop it...

This could be art!

QUESTION:

Would you buy this onion picture as art if Jake produced it as such?

Ok, and next the chilies...

Jalapeno and Habanero - sorry I didn't add the tildas to the letters... TOO HARD IN BLOGSPOT!

A little word of caution... chilies have lots of HOT OIL in them.... if you handle them with bare hands and then rub your eyes by accident... WATCH OUT!!! 

Beautiful little HOT Habaneros

Like all the ingredients, nothing needs to be chopped neat, it's all going to braise together for several hours and will mostly fall apart... I simply pull the peel off the garlic...

Use lots of Garlic

The Mad Man putting it all together... 

Moi

I just keep tossing everything in, like the garlic on top of the onions, on top of the citrus...

Yep eight Cloves should do it!

Next the Chilies...

Is this picture fabulous or what?

Finally I add the Cilantro, coriander, peppercorns and cumin...

Just keep piling it on

After all the ingredients are in the pot; add the pork...

Seared Pork joins the party

And pour your beer in...

Drunken Pork

then the Tequila...

Oh Yeah, Drunkin Pork For SURE!

Cover the pot and slide it in the oven... roast it at 370 for about 5 hours... and then the final step...

Pan Crisp

I always us my Carnitas as a taco filler... with lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream, Cotija cheese, guacamole... whatever you love in your tacos!!!

It's a FANTASTIC PARTY MEAL - Please let me know how yours turns out!!!