Carnitas

This is hands down my go to recipe for entertaining a crowd. For years, though, I would spend hours in the kitchen prepping everything, searing the meat, then braising it in various concoctions of beer or soda. It would take all day. As I got older, I grew wiser.  
 
Now, I take a pork butt, season it with my favorite seasoning, and throw it in the crockpot for about 8 to 10 hours. Done and done. It’s super simple and it’s always delicious.

The Name
Carnitas means “little meat.” Save your jokes, people. It’s braised or roasted pork served shredded in small pieces.
 
The Meat
Pork butt. It’s actually a pork shoulder, but for whatever reason, it’s called a pork butt. Let’s just go with it. My favorite is from Butcher Box, but the ones at Publix work just fine. You can get one with the bone in, or one with the bone removed, but it’s slightly more expensive.
 
The Seasoning
Lots of salt. Don’t be afraid of it. Salt is delicious. As Anne Burrell says, “season ferociously!” You also want to use a mojo seasoning here. It’s loaded with citrus and garlic making for a very flavorful piece of meat. My favorite is Konriko Dry Mojo seasoning. It’s available in most grocery stores. It has all the delicious flavor, and no yucky chemicals or preservatives.
 
Extra Extra
If you want to be extra you can toss in a quartered onion, and a few cloves of garlic. Either way, it’s delicious.
 
After the meat is cooked, take 2 forks and break apart the meat. Now, taste it. Does it need more salt? Season to taste.
 
I typically serve this as tacos, but it’s also delicious in rice bowls, salads, or avocado toast. You can even add it to a grazing table… but that’s another blog.

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