Last weekend I had a fantastic time at a friend’s pot luck. He founded the Meat Revival Society, a local meat co-op focused not only on supporting sustainable farmers but also on educating its members to become better, more confident cooks. The Society emphasizes the importance of using the entire animal which is right up my alley! The point of this particular pot luck was to improve our braising and stewing skills- perfect for the dismal February we’ve had. I was a bit uninspired that week but Sheila had a great idea and we fully embraced the task at hand. We ended up searing and slowly braising short ribs with caramelized onions for 5 hours which filled the house with comforting heat and heavenly aromas. Our short rib meat loaf was a big hit and I’ll definitely be posting it here soon!
It was a small gathering and we found ourselves among welcoming people who became fast friends. It was so refreshing to sit down at the table and have truly meaningful, in-depth conversations over a delicious, home-cooked meal! The night went by too quickly but I am happy to have made new connections with such intelligent, open people.
Being inspired by the pot luck I turned to my favorite braised dish – carnitas! I love this dish because it’s so simple but yields big, tasty results!
All good braised dishes begin with a quality cut of meat. You should source from local farmers raising animals humanely on pasture whenever possible. This particularly gorgeous pork shoulder is from Triple S Farms in Stewardson, Illinois. The best thing about this dish is that it let’s the meat really stand out because it’s simply prepared and then braised slowly for 5 to 6 hours until fall-off-the bone tender. Seriously I almost feel guilty at how well the carnitas turn out considering the minimal work that goes in. The only thing you need to worry about is the timing – ideally you’ll let the dry rub sit on the shoulder over night. Other than that let the slow cooker do its thing and enjoy amazing carnitas!
Crock Pot Carnitas with Ginger Slaw
Ingredients
1 Bone-in Pork Shoulder, about 2.5 lbs
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Ancho Chile Powder
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 bottle Beer, really any beer will do
3 cups Chicken Stock
For the Slaw
1/2 Red Cabbage, sliced
1/2 Red Onion, sliced
2 Carrots, grated
1 bunch Cilantro, chopped
2.5 TBS Ginger, minced
3 Limes, juiced
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Salt
For Serving
Corn Tortillas
Greek Yogurt
Hot Sauce
Lime Wedges
Mix together the salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, chile powder, onion powder, cinnamon and pepper. Rub all over the pork shoulder and place in the crock pot. Any left over rub can go straight into the crock pot. Place it in the fridge to sit over night.
Take the crock pot out of the fridge and add in the beer and chicken stock so that it mostly covers the pork shoulder. Turn on low for 9 to 10 hours or high for 5 to 6 hours. If you’re able, flip the shoulder over halfway through the cooking time. You’ll know it’s done when you can’t lift it out of the pot without it falling apart! About an hour or two before the shoulder is going to be done make the slaw. If you have a mandoline it makes quick work of the cabbage and onion otherwise just thinly slice them as best as you can. Combine the cabbage, onion, cilantro and carrots in a large bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, ginger, cumin and salt. Pour the vinaigrette over the cabbage and toss to combine. Let the cabbage mixture sit at room temperature until the shoulder is done. Using tongs remove the shoulder from the crock pot. Shred it using two forks and remove any excess fat. Add in a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid to keep the carnitas moist.
To serve, heat a tortilla over a gas burner on low for about a minute on each side until pliable. Slather with some greek yogurt and then top with a generous amount of carnitas and slaw. Finish with some hot sauce and lime juice.
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