If it's Monday it must be Carnitas...

For several days, I have been craving carnitas.  My mind has been consumed with perfectly crispy, salty, fatty pieces of porky goodness, topped with spicy tomatillo salsa,  fresh cilantro, crumbled queso fresco, and a squeeze of zesty lime juice, all snugly wrapped in a warm, slightly charred corn tortilla. Can you blame me for obsessing over this mouthwatering masterpiece?

When cravings like this strike, there's no time to waste—I need those carnitas on my dinner table pronto. Lucky for me, the Irishman is home this week. So, I will satisfy my cravings and treat him to a feast fit for an Irishman on night one, followed by one of his favorite rice bowls with plenty of intentional leftovers on night two.

I typically begin cooking the carnitas a day in advance, heightening the anticipation and making those initial bites all the more satisfying. The process is lengthy and should not be hurried, as it is said that good things come to those who wait.

Cut the pork shoulder into big chunks, and salt the meat heavily while you heat a fair amount of duck fat or lard. Without crowding the meat too much, sear each piece until golden brown, setting aside the seared meat until all the meat has been seared.

Place the seared pork in a large Dutch oven, or if you are lucky enough to have a hotel pan, use that. Make sure to pour all the fat that was used for cooking the pork back into the pan. Scatter oranges, chilis, garlic, and oregano over the meat and mix. Pour the beer over the meat. Cover the pan tightly with foil, place it in the oven, and leave it alone for 3 hours.  Check the meat with a fork or knife; if it is not fork-tender, recover it and let it cook for another couple of hours. I usually go up to 5 hours of total cooking time.

Remove the pan from the oven and turn up the oven to 450. Carefully remove about two-thirds of the juices and fat from the pan using a ladle. Cover the pan and put it back in the oven, cooking until the meat looks crispy and golden brown and almost no visible liquid is left.   This usually takes 20 - 30 minutes; keep an eye on it, and when it looks crispy and golden enough for you, pull it from the oven and let it rest while you make the salsa and char the tortillas.

Tomatillo Salsa

Preheat oven to 450 

2# Tomatillos with the husk removed

1 large yellow onion - peeled and chopped in large chunks

3 jalapenos - sliced in half

2 serranos - sliced in half

6  cloves garlic - peeled

1 bunch Cilantro

Salt 

Olive Oil

Grab a sheet tray and place tomatillos, onions, jalapenos, serranos, and garlic on it. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and a good glug of olive oil. Roast until tomatillos are soft and have lost their bright color. Remove from the oven and cool a bit. Put all the roasted salsa ingredients in a blender. Add half the bunch of cilantro and a good pinch of salt. Blend well, taste, and add more cilantro if desired. Salsa will keep for about a week.

Bia maith leat.  Bon Appetit. Spis godt