Best 4 Mamas Carnitas Recipes

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Carnitas, a traditional Mexican dish, is a delectable pork dish that is renowned for its succulent, fall-off-the-bone texture and vibrant flavors. This beloved dish has its roots in the state of Michoacan, where it is believed to have originated. Today, carnitas has spread its charm across the globe, capturing the hearts of food enthusiasts worldwide. If you're looking to embark on a culinary journey and tantalize your taste buds with authentic mamas carnitas, this article is your ultimate guide. We will delve into the secrets of this iconic dish, providing you with step-by-step instructions, essential ingredients, and valuable tips to ensure your carnitas creation is a resounding success. So, prepare your aprons and let's embark on this flavorful adventure together!

Let's cook with our recipes!

MAMA'S CARNITAS



Mama's Carnitas image

My husband loves to cook Mexican dishes. I'm more of an Italian-style cook, and the joke in our house is that I should leave all the Mexican cooking to him. However, this dish of mine turned out so amazing my husband fell in love! It's all in the meat. If you can get an all-natural pork shoulder, it really makes a difference. -Chelsea Wickman, Painesville, Ohio

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner     Lunch

Time 9h25m

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 18

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bone-in pork shoulder roast (5 to 7 pounds)
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
1/4 cup lime juice
2 Anaheim peppers, seeded and diced
16 flour tortillas (8 inches)
1 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Steps:

  • In a small bowl, combine the first 9 ingredients. Cut roast in half; rub all sides with spice mixture. Place in a 5-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Combine the pineapple juice, soy sauce, stock, lime juice and peppers; pour around meat., Cover and cook on low for 9-11 hours or until meat is tender. , Remove meat; skim fat. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones; discard bones. Shred meat and return to slow cooker; heat through. , With a slotted spoon, spoon 1/2 cup filling off center on each tortilla. Top with 1 tablespoon creme fraiche and 2 tablespoons cheese. Fold sides and ends over filling and roll up.Freeze option: Place shredded pork in freezer containers; top with juices. Cool and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a covered saucepan, stirring gently. Add a little broth if necessary.,

Nutrition Facts : Calories 494 calories, Fat 26g fat (12g saturated fat), Cholesterol 97mg cholesterol, Sodium 758mg sodium, Carbohydrate 31g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 32g protein.

SLOW COOKER CARNITAS RECIPE BY TASTY



Slow Cooker Carnitas Recipe by Tasty image

Have you ever gone out for Mexican food, eaten carnitas, and thought "gosh, I wish I could make this myself"? Well, you can with the help of your slow cooker. Just add pork butt or shoulder to a slow cooker with citrus juice, garlic, onion, and some spices, then let it cook for about eight hours until it's tender and easy to shred with a fork. Then, you can enjoy your home-cooked carnitas in tacos, burritos, or on top of your favourite grains.

Provided by Scott Loitsch

Categories     Dinner

Time 8h10m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

4 lb boneless pork butt, or shoulder, cut into six equal pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
8 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, quartered
3 leaves bay leaf
1 lime, juiced
1 large orange, juiced, save the spent halves
tortilla, taco shell
rice
1 can black beans
salsa
guacamole
sour cream
fresh cilantro
1 cup cheese

Steps:

  • Cut pork into 6 equal pieces. Add it to the slow cooker.
  • Add salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic, onion, bay leaves, lime juice and juice the orange. Add orange to the cooker as well. Mix together until the meat is well-coated.
  • Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the meat pulls apart easily.
  • Remove the pork and transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Shred the pork and spread across the baking sheet in a single layer.
  • Pour about 1 cup (235 ml) of the liquid remaining in the slow cooker over the shredded pork. Broil for 5-10 minutes until the meat browns and crisps along the edges.
  • Serve immediately. Great as a filling in tacos, burritos, salads, or nachos!
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 810 calories, Carbohydrate 23 grams, Fat 48 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 72 grams, Sugar 5 grams

SLOW COOKER CARNITAS



Slow Cooker Carnitas image

Carnitas means 'little meats' and is traditionally fried then braised. This recipe is made much easier using the slow cooker but the results are just as tasty. This makes a great filling for tamales, enchiladas, tacos and burritos. This filling is also great combined with your favorite barbecue sauce and served on buns.

Provided by Erin Parker

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Mexican

Time 10h10m

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (4 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth

Steps:

  • Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture. Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture.
  • Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours. When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 222.7 calories, Carbohydrate 0.7 g, Cholesterol 73.3 mg, Fat 13.8 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 22.2 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Sodium 474.3 mg, Sugar 0.3 g

MAMACITA'S PORK CARNITAS RECIPE - (4.3/5)



Mamacita's Pork Carnitas Recipe - (4.3/5) image

Provided by kishthecook

Number Of Ingredients 19

2 lbs pork roast- boneless cut into 2" chunks
2 cups chicken broth
1 onion, peeled and cut into 1/4s
2 TBS fresh squeezed lime juice
1 orange, cut in half
1 TBS mexican seasoning (good red chili powder, Mex. oregano, cumin, dash of cinnemon and dash of cloves)
4 cloves garlic, no need to peel
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp blk pepper
PICO DE GALLO: mix together
2 large tomatoes chopped
1/2 diced onion
3-4 cloves garlic- chopped
1 serrano chili- chopped
chopped cilantro
squeeze o lime
dash of salt and sugar to taste

Steps:

  • adjust oven rack to low/mid oven. Heat to 300 in a Dutch oven pot on stovetop, combine pork, broth, Mex. seasoning, Bay leaves, onion, garlic, lime juice, salt, sugar and pepper. Juice the orange into the pot and throw the 2 spent orange halves in with the rest. Liquid should just barely cover the pork. Bring mixture to simmer on stove top, then cover and transfer to oven. Cook about 2 hours. Remove pot from oven and turn oven to broil. With a slotted spoon, remove pork chunks to a shallow pan. Place a large strainer or seive over a bowl. Remove the orange halves and bay leaves and discard. With your slotted spoon, scoop the remaining chunky solids from the cooking juice and place them in the seive. Squish the solids to smash out all the liquidy flavors into the bowl. Discard the smashed solids. Add the bowl of squished juices back into to the pot with the cooking liquid and bring to a boil on stove top. Cook down the liquid until reduced to about 1 cup and is thick and syrupy, 20 minutes or so. Season to taste if needed. Meanwhile, back at the pork pan, shred the pork with 2 forks into 1 inch(ish) chunks ("carnitas" meaning little meats) Mix the pork "carnitas" and about 1/2 the PICO DE GALLO back into the thickened cooking liquid. Mix well. Spread the pork mixture onto a deep baking sheet and place in oven/broiler. Broil until the tops of the meats are brown and crisp. DONT LET IT BURN! Keep an eye on it! Stir carnitas mixture in pan and continue to brown.. be careful, you want it well roasted but not burned. Remove pan from broiler and scrape the roasted carnitas into a dish, stir in the remaining PICO DE GALLO and serve with warm corn tortillas and queso fresco!

Tips:

  • Choose the right cut of pork. Pork shoulder is the best cut for carnitas because it is fatty and flavorful. You can also use pork butt, but it will be less tender.
  • Brown the pork before cooking it. This will help to develop flavor and prevent the pork from drying out.
  • Cook the pork slowly and at a low temperature. This will help to tenderize the pork and make it fall apart easily.
  • Add plenty of liquid to the cooking pot. This will help to keep the pork moist and prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • Season the pork with your favorite spices and herbs. You can use a simple salt and pepper rub, or you can get creative and add other spices, such as cumin, chili powder, or garlic powder.
  • Serve the carnitas with your favorite toppings. Some popular toppings include tortillas, rice, beans, avocado, and sour cream.

Conclusion:

Carnitas is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in many different ways. It is a great option for a party or potluck, and it is also a great way to use up leftover pork. With a little planning and preparation, you can easily make carnitas at home. So next time you are looking for a flavorful and easy-to-make meal, give carnitas a try!

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