Carnitas Tacos

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Carnitas is slow roasted pork. It has a slightly crispy outside and a wonderful fork tender quality. I use it here in tacos, but it's perfect in tortas or as is with rice and beans.

Carnitas Tacos Recipe

Ingredients

3 lbs pork shoulder or butt cut into 2 -3 inch chunks
1 orange
1 dark Mexican beer
2 Tbsp lard
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tspn fresh ground pepper
2 Tbsp Piloncillo Sugar (or brown sugar)
roasted tomatillo, tomato, and poblano salsa
guacamole
lime
queso fresco
minced white onion
chopped cilantro
corn tortillas

Carnitas Preparation

Preheat oven to 350. Heat a cast iron pan over medium high heat. Add lard and melt. Brown the pork on all sides in batches. Add all the pork back to the pan and season with the salt. and pepper Using a vegetable peeler, peel the outside of the orange. Cut the orange in half. Add the orange halves (after squeezing juice onto pork), orange peel, sugar, beer and water. Cover pan with foil and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 2 hours. Uncover and raise heat to 450º. Cook another 30 minutes, turning meet every 10 minutes or so.

Tacos Preparation

Using a fork, break apart some of the carnitas meat. Heat tortillas for 30 seconds per side. Add  a small pile of carnitas. Squeeze a small amount of lime on the meat and add a small pinch of salt. Add a spoonful of salsa, guacamole, Add a pinch of queso fresco and a small amount of minced white onions and chopped cilantro