Carnitas are the Mexican version of pulled pork. It's traditionally made with pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) because of the higher fat content, which helps the meat stay super tender and juicy while it's cooked. The pork is first cooked in a slow-cooker and then crisped up in the oven. The meat is placed on a warm flour tortilla and topped with avocado crema, onions, cilantro and hot sauce. These have definitely become a family favourite! I like to serve the carnitas with Mexican rice or a Mexican street corn salad. 

Carnitas:

Ingredients:

4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes, with fat cap scored

1 tablespoon chipotle powder

Kosher salt

3 cloves garlic, smashed

2 cinnamon sticks

1 yellow onion, quartered

1/2 cup orange soda

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Zest and juice from 1 large orange

Flour tortillas, for serving

Avocado Crema, recipe follows

1 cup diced white onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Hot sauce


Avocado Crema:

Ingredients:


2 to 3 limes

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 ripe avocado

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Directions:


Carnitas:


Set the slow cooker to high. Put the pork cubes in the slow cooker and season all over with the chipotle powder and some salt. Turn any pieces with the fat cap upright. Nestle in the garlic, cinnamon sticks and yellow onion. Pour the orange soda, vegetable oil and orange juice and zest over the pork. Cover and cook on high until super tender, about 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to broil.

Transfer the pork chunks to an aluminum lined baking sheet with fat-side up. Let the liquid in the slow cooker settle so the fat is on the surface. Scoop off about 1/4 cup of the fat and drizzle over the pork chunks. Broil until the meat is crispy and the fat is bubbly.

:

Avocado Crema:


Zest and juice 2 of the limes and add to a food processor. Add the sour cream, cilantro, honey, cumin and avocado and process until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, thin it out with the juice of the remaining lime or some water. Season with salt and pepper. If not using the crema right away, cover with plastic wrap pressed on top to keep it from browning.




Serve with flour tortillas, Avocado Crema, diced white onion, cilantro and hot sauce.


Print Recipe: Slow-Cooker Carnitas with Avocado Crema

Place pork cubes into slow-cooker.

Season the pork.

Turn any pieces with attached fat cap upright. Nestle garlic, cinnamon sticks and quartered onion in-between the pork pieces.

Pour orange soda, orange juice, vegetable oil and orange zest over pork. Cook on high until super tender, approximately 4 hours

Remove cooked pork from the slow-cooker and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Pour some of the oil from the slow-cooker over-top of the pork. Broil until the meat is nice and crispy and brown.

Remove the large pieces of fat from the meat. Shred the meat. 

Make the avocado crema.