Pork shoulder and pork butt are tough cuts of meat that benefit from long, slow cooking. In this recipe we cook the pork for 8 hours to break down the muscle fibers, producing tender, juicy meat. You can use either pork shoulder or pork butt in this recipe, however, pork butt will give richer and juicier results, due to the intramuscular fat that naturally exists in pork butt. We serve our carnitas tacos with raw, white onion, cilantro, queso fresco, and lime, but any number of toppings can be substituted.
Carnitas Tacos
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork shoulder or pork butt, cut into 2″ cubes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 orange, juiced, plus 2 (2″) strips of orange peel
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano, preferably Mexican
- 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
- 1 small bunch of cilantro
- ¼ cup queso fresco or feta cheese
- 1 lime, cut into quarters
Directions
1) Roughly chop the onion and set aside ⅓ cup in the refrigerator for garnish. In a large bowl stir together chicken broth, orange juice, orange peel, remaining chopped onion, brown sugar, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, 1 tbsp kosher salt, and oregano.
2) Add the pork to the marinade and stir to coat. Divide the pork and marinade evenly between two Suvie pans. Insert pans into Suvie, input settings, and cook now or schedule.
Suvie Cook Settings
Bottom Zone: Slow Cook Low for 8 hours
3) Once the pork has finished cooking, remove pans from Suvie.
4) Drain and discard the liquid from the pans (or save for another use) and return both pans of pork to your Suvie. Broil for 10-15 minutes or until pork is browned (if using Suvie 3.0, elevate meat onto a roasting rack for best results).
5) Once the pork has finished broiling, remove both pans of pork and transfer to a large bowl or cutting board.
6) Roughly chop cilantro. Shred the pork with two forks and then season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide tortillas evenly between 4 plates. Top each tortilla with pork and then garnish each serving with reserved raw onion, cilantro, queso fresco, and a squeeze of lime.
Wine Pairing
The wonderful thing about pork is that it can be paired with a wide variety of wines. If your preference is white wines we recommend Sauvignon Blanc. The tart acidity of the Sauvignon will make the citrus notes of the carnitas really pop. If red wines are more your speed try a Cabernet Franc. The unusually high acidity of this wine makes it an ideal pairing for Mexican food. If you’re struggling to choose between red and white wines try pairing this meal with a dry Rosé. Finally, for fans of bubbles, this meal will pair well with a glass of Spanish Cava.
