the constant hunger: mexican

When cooking, any home chef should be able to make last-minute adjustments to his/her menu. This weekend I had planned to make pork carnitas. I had bought a nice chunk of pork shoulder on Thursday along with all the accouterments. When I took out the pork from the fridge yesterday to let it get to room temp before cooking, I noticed something funny. Rather, I smelled something funny. My beautiful cut of pork smelled...well, funky. Perhaps I was too optimistic in thinking that I could keep the meat refrigerated for four days without it going bad. Was I crazy to think this?

Having to scrap my idea of making carnitas, along with my beautiful pork shoulder (the marbling was superb), I had to think of a plan B. I still wanted to keep with the Mexican theme so I took out some chicken breasts from the freezer to defrost and went searching for a chicken taco recipe that would use ingredients I already had at home (it was a lazy weekend. Didn't even feel like leaving my cozy apartment).

I came across this recipe that fit the bill. I made one big adjustment to it though. Instead of frying the chicken breasts, I decided to poach them using this as a guide. As a result, I did not use one drop of oil in the entire recipe. The only fat came from the avocado and the tortilla. Even though this was a very low fat meal, it was full of flavor. I am definitely going to make this recipe again.

Happy cooking!

I've been wanting to make pork carnitas since I tried my aunt's recipe when my husband and I were in LA in September. I had the pork in my freezer and I finally was ready to tackle a Mexican dish after a particularly bland attempt at enchiladas. I did a lot of research online to find a recipe that didn't require a slow cooker and that didn't cook the meat in orange juice. Why orange juice? Does the acidity break down the proteins in pork and make it more tender? If anyone knows why, kindly let me know in the comments section of this post.

I came across an interesting recipe from another blog. Although it called for orange juice (there was no escaping it!) I substituted it with beef stock. For best results, think "low and slow." I cheated a little bit, but the results were delicious.

Pork Carnitas adapted from it's for dinner

Ingredients:

4 lb. pork shoulder (sometimes called "pork butt")

1 tbs. salt

1 tbs. chili powder

1 tbs. ground cumin

1 tbs. garlic powder

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup low sodium beef stock

2 cups water

fresh tortillas

1 small onion chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 avocado sliced

hot sauce to taste

Method:

Cut the pork shoulder in large chunks, about 2 inches big. Be careful while cutting if the shoulder contains bone. Cut around the bone and discard it.

Mix all the spices and salt together in a large sealable plastic bag. Throw in the pork cubes and shake the bag till all the cubes are evenly seasoned.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

In a large Dutch oven or oven-ready lidded pot, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Brown the pork cubes on all sides. You may have to work in batches to not overcrowd the pot. Set aside the pork.

Deglaze the pot with the beef stock. Return the browned pork cubes to the pot and add two cups of water or enough water to submerge the pork. Bring to a boil.

Stir the pork and cover with the lid. Place in the oven and let cook for one hour before stirring the pork again. Cook for another 2 hours in the oven, making sure to stir every hour.

You could also raise the oven temperature to 325 after the first hour. You'll know the pork is done when it easily shreds with a fork.

Remove from the oven and place the pork on a cutting board to cool slightly. Keep the liquid in the pot and place on the stove top over medium heat and let reduce for about 10 minutes.

Set the oven to "broil." Tear the pork with your fingers, discarding any fat or gristle. Return the pork to the pot, uncovered. Place in the oven and let broil for about 5 minutes per side or until pork begins to caramelize.

Serve with tortillas, chopped onions and chopped cilantro. Don't forget a squeeze of fresh lime, hot sauce and maybe even a slice of avocado.

My next new post will be up on Tuesday. I will be busy cooking and eating. Merry Christmas to you all!