How do you make carnitas in a slow cooker?

To make these dutch oven carnitas in a crock pot, you will simply add all of the ingredients into the slow cooker insert. Only add enough liquid to cover the pork shoulder. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the meat shreds easily with a fork. If it doesn't shred easily, it needs more time. Then, discard the oranges and bay leaves and follow the remaining instructions for shredding the pork and broiling.

How do you make carnitas in the instant pot?

To make your carnitas in the instant pot or pressure cooker, follow the instructions in this post for instant pot carnitas .

Is a pork shoulder the same cut of meat as a pork butt?

Yes. Pork shoulder and pork butt are the same cut of meat and you may often see the terms used interchangeably. It may also be referred to as a Boston Butt. Pork shoulder is a cut of meat from the upper portion of a pig's front shoulder. It can be sold boneless or bone-in.

Can you freeze carnitas meat?

Yes, you can freeze carnitas! If you are making it with the intention of freezing, or planning to freeze a portion of the recipe (such as half), you will want to only cook them up to the point of broiling. Place the carnitas, or the portion you're going to freeze, into an airtight container or bag with sauce and freeze for up to 4 months. When you're ready to make them, thaw in the fridge overnight, reheat the meat and broil as instructed. If you've already broiled it and want to freeze the leftovers, you can as well! It still freezes great, you just may not want to broil for the second time as the meat can dry out.

Can you make dutch oven carnitas ahead of time?

Yes! You can prep and make these carnitas ahead of time, such as the day or night before, and finish them up by broiling when you're ready. To make them ahead of time, follow the instructions up to the point of broiling. Shred the pork, mix it with the sauce and then store in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 days. Once you're ready to eat them, spread the shredded pork out on a sheet pan and reheat in the oven for 20 minutes on 350 degrees. Then, turn the oven to broil and broil as instructed until they're golden and crispy.

How do you know when carnitas are done?

The cooking time may vary depending on the pork butt. Muscle meat contains collagen, and the more collagen a cut of meat has, the longer it needs to cook to break down. Carnitas are not done until the meat is very tender and easily shreds with a fork. If it doesn't do that, it simply needs a bit more time. It's extremely hard to overcook carnitas, so don't worry about that!

What can you use in place of oranges?

If you don't have oranges, you can use 1/2 cup of pure orange juice, or 1/4 cup of frozen orange juice concentrate.

What can you use in place of a lime?

If you don't have a fresh lime, you can replace it by using 3 tablespoons of the refrigerated lime juice concentrate. Do not substitute lemon or lemon juice in place of lime in this recipe.

Dutch Oven Carnitas - Healthy Hearty Recipes

Ingredients

3-to-4-pound boneless pork shoulder (also commonly called pork butt)
2 cups chicken broth (can use water)
1 large yellow or white onion, peeled and quartered
Juice from 2 oranges
Juice from 1 large lime
3 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoon oregano
2–3 bay leaves
2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

Instructions

Adjust your oven racks so there’s enough clearance for the middle rack to fit your dutch oven. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Chop the pork shoulder into 2 to 3 inch cubes and add the pork, chicken broth, onion and spices into the dutch oven
Squeeze the juice from the oranges and lime into the dutch oven. Add the orange halves into the pot as well. Discard the used lime
Bring the dutch oven to a simmer over medium high heat. Once it’s started simmering, cover it with the lid and carefully place it into the oven. Let cook in the oven for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat shreds easily with a fork. Halfway through the cook time, remove the dutch oven and give it a stir to bring the meat that was on the bottom of the dutch oven to the top and place it back into the oven
Once the meat is fall apart tender and you’ve removed the dutch oven from the oven, transfer the pork from the dutch oven to a sheet pan using a slotted spoon. Discard the oranges and bay leaves
Heat the dutch oven with the remaining liquid over medium high heat until it’s brought to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the liquid reduce, uncovered, for about 25 minutes until it’s thick like a sauce and there’s only about 1.5 cups of liquid left
While the liquid is simmering, use that time to shred the pork on the sheet pan. You can shred it thinly or keep it in larger chunks depending on your preference. Once the liquid has reduced, spoon the sauce over the shredded pork and toss to coat. Spread the pork into an even layer on the sheet pan
Broil the shredded pork with the sauce for 8-9 minutes, toss the pork and broil another 3-4 minutes, or until the pork edges are crispy and golden brown. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn
Remove the sheet pan and serve in burritos, bowls, tacos or salads

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 410
Fat: 18 g
Carbohydrates: 7 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 52 g

Find it online: https://healthyheartyrecipes.com/dutch-oven-carnitas/