I killed a few feral pigs and looking for a recipe for pork carnitas. In addition, is there a preferred cut of meat to use?

shooting from memory on measurements but I have made with shoulder and butts, trimmed.

2-2.5 lbs pork
10-12 garlic cloves, sliced
2-2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice
2-3 chipotle chiles canned in adobo sauce, drained & chopped
1-2 jalapeno, deseeded & deveined, chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped

cut slits in pork and stuff garlic slices in, rub with dry spices, place in slow cooker, mix liquids with peppers and onion with any remaining dry spices, pour over pork, slow cook on low for 6-8 hours or until tender. Transfer pork to a large baking sheet, reserving the cooking liquid, drizzle with small amount of the reserved liquid adn lightly season with salt. Bake in preheated oven until browned, about 30 minutes. drizzle more cooking liquid on the meat every 10 minutes and use 2 forks to shred meat as it browns.

Thank you. Going to cook up a batch for our Christmas Eve party.

hmmmm.. carnitas are just fried pork cubes. Sounds like your looking more for a pork adovada. When we do carnitas we use a huge pot outside with big cubes of pork usually butt/picnic. Starts with a little bit of water so meat doesn't stick. then stir, stir, stir, stir and stir some more. When it begins to cook it makes its own oil/fat to cook in and the water evaporates. Then you can salt at the end. Some people will add in a few more flavoring but thats the traditional way. NM people use lecherita/condensed milk and cola.

carne adovada recipe. traditional mexicans use this recipe with cubed potatoes put in towards the end until they are cooked then done.



2 medium onions, chopped (about 3 cups)
6 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 1/2 pounds boned pork shoulder (butt), fat trimmed and meat cut into 1 1/2-in. cubes
1 cup ground dried red New Mexico chiles or whatever large (small chili's are to hot) dried red chili your supermarket has. Reconstitute in hot water, put in blender and strain.
4 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf


cook pork in pan to brown then add in everything(except flour) and enough water/broth to just cover and let simmer for at least an hour (I usually go 2 or more hours. the longer the more tender and the sauce gets a more rich flavor). At the end add in the flour mixed with water so its smooth and no clumping. When its ready just eat with side of flour or corn tortillas.

I've only seen carnitas done two ways, (I love them BTW). The most common way can be any cut of pork actually, but normally the belly meat or any fatty trimmings from the belly/rib region or front shoulders. Chopped up into carnitas (little meats), seasoned (marinated), & cooked in a skillet or on a flat top grill. The other way, (I am told is more traditional to Mexico), is really just pulled pork. Whatever cut of boiled pork, shredded, then thrown in a hot skillet with seasonings and maybe a little fat. Either way, I freakin' love carnitas. Sorry, I don't have a recipe. There is this little restaurant down the street that buys it's carnitas from a little Meskin meat market accross the street there, that are the best that I've ever had. Been going there for a long time. Every time I think about making my own carnitas, my mouth starts watering and I just drive over there and stuff my face. Sorry, no help.

Sounds good,,,

Try cooking it in a crock pot for 5-6 hours.
Brown the pork first and add one beer, two cans of spicy rotel, minced garlic, and whatever seasoning you want.

First, get a copper pot...

When I do pork carnitas we usually use a pork shoulder or other fatty meat. Make sure it is fatty that's the most important part. We cut the shoulder into 2-3" cubes and place in a large skillet or pot doesn't matter too much. You don't want to overcrowd your pot/skillet. Cover the pork chunks with 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup lime, several halved garlic cloves, a little bit of cumin, several dried chili's to your liking, then add water to where all the meat is just barely submerged. Boil for 2 or so hours till all the water as evaporated and don't touch the meat. If your water runs out before 2 hrs is up add a little extra to let it boil for the 2+ hrs. Once all the water evaporates you will be left with enough grease from the pork itself to pan fry the pork cubes. Fry on all sides till a deep brown. You can substitute any part of this recipe to your liking to make more or less spicy.

This sounds good.