Recipe: Pork Carnitas

Ah, Mexican food! Como te quiero!* I miss good quick neighborhood Mexican food here in France, just like I miss flagels** and Grandma's pizza*** and spicy salmon rolls! All the more reason to try and make it at home.  These carnitas are really easy and very yummy in tacos.  Here's how I did it.

Ingredients

2 tsp brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ginger, powdered

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 cup hot water

1 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp vinegar

750g pork shoulder, cubed into large chunks

vegetable oil

Combine salt, sugar, garlic and spices.

Add the pork and spices to a plastic bag and shake and smush around a bit until all pieces are well covered.

Heat the oil on the stove top in an oven safe pan.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/375°F.

Brown the pork on all sides on the stove then add the mixture of hot water, tomato paste and vinegar to the pan and cook uncovered in the oven for 45 mins.  

Using two forks, pull apart the pork until well shredded.  Once shredded, place the pan on the stove again to thicken up the sauce.  We served it in corn tortillas with mashed avocado and lime and some good old fashion hot sauce.

Buen Provecho!**** 

♥

* How I love you! 
**An oh-so-awesome NYC speciality which is essentialy a bagel that have been flattened making it extra crispy and much less doughy.
***Another oh-so-awesome NYC speciality which is a variation on the Sicilian square.  Delicious!
****Bon Appetit!