If you love Mexican food as I do, you are undoubtedly familiar with pork carnitas. This roasted pork dish can be made with little effort using a slow cooker to slowly bring spices and the natural sweet pork flavor together in a fiesta for your tongue.
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas in Salsa Verde
Cook time: 6 hours
Note: For less spice heat, substitute 2 whole jalapenos instead of ancho chilis. Remove jalapenos before serving.
2# pork shoulder or pork loin
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
1 Tablespoon rough ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin powder
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 white onion, fine chopped
1 roasted ancho chili with 1 teaspoon Adobo Sauce (Store remainder of can in Tupperware container. It will keep a very long time)
1/2 cup cilantro, fine chopped (If you prefer, use parsley)
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
2 limes, juiced
2 cans (4oz) Salsa Verde
1/2 cup water
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Preheat large skillet over medium-high heat.
Preheat slow cooker on low heat.
Mix salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cumin together. Rub pork shoulder with spice mix. Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to skillet. Sear shoulder in skillet by turning .
Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil to slow cooker. Add pork shoulder. Add garlic, onion, oregano, half (1/4 cup) of cilantro or parsley, and add ancho chili with Adobo sauce. Add 1/2 cup water to slow cooker. Squeeze juice of 2 limes over the top of pork.
Cover and cook for 5 1/2 hours on low. Drain liquid from slow cooker, add Salsa Verde, and cover and cook for additional 20-30 minutes. Pork should pull apart with a fork when done.
Serve over rice with remainder of cilantro or parsley for garnish, or serve with flour tortillas for soft tacos.
