INGREDIENTS
Pork Carnitas
5 1⁄2 pounds pork shoulder, skinless (We use boneless but bone-in is fine too)
1 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, deseeded and chopped
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh orange juice (about 3 to 4 oranges)
1 cup chicken stock, plus more for extra braising liquid (about 3 cups total)
Vegetable oil for pan frying
Rub
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
Roasted Corn Salsa
3 large ears of corn
1⁄3 red onion, diced
3 ripe tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
Juice of 1 1⁄2 limes, or more to taste
1⁄3 cup fresh chopped cilantro
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Homemade Corn Tortillas
4 cups masa harina
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, lard or butter
About 2 cups hot water, more if needed
Flour for kneading
DIRECTIONS
Roasting Enviroment 650°F
Pork Carnitas
Rinse and dry the pork shoulder, then rub the salt and pepper onto it. Mix the ingredients for the rub together, then rub onto all sides of the pork. Place the pork (fat cap up) onto the bottom of a small roasting pan, then top with the onions, garlic, jalapeño, orange juice and chicken stock. Cover tightly with foil and put into the oven. The pork will take about 4 hours (rotate the pan every half hour) to become very tender. It is VERY IMPORTANT to keep the oven up to temperature and keep an eye on the liquid level in the roasting pan. You will likely need to add about 1 or 2 cups of chicken stock about 2 or 3 hours into cooking to keep the braising liquid from evaporating. You will need the braising liquid for later.
Once the pork is done, remove from roasting pan and allow to cool (Save the braising liquid!), then pull apart using forks. Discard the fat and set the meat aside.
You should be left with about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of braising liquid (if you have a lot more than that you can reduce it). Skim the fat off the top of the liquid. The juices will act as more seasoning for the pork.
In a preheated cast iron or stainless steel skillet, heat about a tablespoon of vegetable oil then put a layer of pork onto the bottom of the skillet and let sear. Spoon some of the braising liquid onto the pork while it is cooking to season it and keep it from getting dry. We suggest you only sear the one side and keep the other side nice and tender. The carnitas are ready when the juices have evaporated from the pan and the pork is crispy on the bottom.
Roasted Corn Salsa
To roast corn, put onto a sheet pan and slide into the oven (the corn can be cooked during your ovens perimeter burn OR at a roasting environment). Keep an eye on them and turn as needed until all sides have some good coloring, but are not completely charred. Take the corn out of the oven and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, mix all the other ingredients except salt and pepper into a bowl. Once the corn has cooled, cut the kernels off the cob and mix into the salsa. Add salt and pepper at the very end and adjust lime juice to your liking. Serve cold.
Homemade Corn Tortillas
In a bowl, mix the masa and salt together, then stir in the oil. Slowly pour the water into the mixture, stirring while doing so until the dough forms a ball. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic (this should only take about 2 minutes). Wrap in plastic and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to a few hours.
Break off pieces of the dough into about the size of a golf ball (we found that 1.5 ounce dough balls were a good size). You can either use a tortilla press or roll them out by hand to make them thin and about 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Tortillas can either be cooked in a preheated and lightly oiled cast iron skillet in your oven, or right on the oven floor! Cook each tortilla on both sides until they have browning spots. Wrap the cooked tortillas in a towel to keep warm. Enjoy!
