Pork carnitas is a taco stand favorite that’s easy to recreate at home: all you need is a slow cooker and a few spices from the cupboard for juicy, tender meat that’s begging to be stuffed in a tortilla.
What You’ll Need:
One 2 1/2–3 lb. pork shoulder or butt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
1 lime
What To Do:
Cut pork shoulder into large chunks, then place in a slow cooker.
In a small bowl, mix cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, oregano, onion powder, and pepper.
Sprinkle mixture over meat in cooker. Squeeze over juice from one lime, then toss everything to coat all over.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or 8–9 hours on low. When tender, shred the meat with a fork. If crispier texture is desired, cook meat in skillet with some of the juices until browned.
Note:
Get started earlier in the day, since you’ll need a few hours to let things come together. Before dinner, or whenever you’re ready to serve, you’ll want to gather your toppings: chopped onions, avocado, cilantro, and salsa are all worthy add-ons. Once the meat is done, you can tuck it into tortillas or serve it with rice.
With ramen, you can slurp to your heart’s content. The Japanese dish was made for going all-in on the noodles, lapping up the broth, and letting all that steaminess rise up in a soul-soothing gust.
