Legitimate Carnitas

(As opposed to Lazy-Ass Carnitas)

I stole this recipe shamelessly from the Internet and adjusted seasonings a little.  You can serve it in a few different ways, but I especially like the pork in corn tortillas with lettuce and tomato and cilantro.  You could add cheese...but it really doesn't need it. 


3 lbs boneless pork shoulder roast
2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped (recipe says seeded too but I didn't bother seeding them)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 bay leaf
1 dried chipotle chile
1/4 to 1/2 cup water or meat stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Generously salt and pepper the pork; let meat come to room temperature
(about two hours).

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Add olive oil to a pan that is large enough to
hold all the ingredients (I prefer a heavy cast iron dutch oven for this. Sear pork over medium-high heat until brown on all sides. Set meat aside; let rest 10 to 15 minutes. Remove excess oil from the pan, leaving just a coating of oil in the pan. Add onions; sweat over low heat until translucent. Add water and scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Return pork to the pan. Add remaining ingredients. Cover pan and place in the oven. Cook pork 2 to 3 hours or until the the meat shreds easily with a fork.  Remove pork from the pan; let rest 10 to 15 minutes, and then shred.

Makes 5 to 6 servings.

Source:  Adapted from various postings on the Internet claiming to be Chipotle Mexican Grill's recipe for Pork Carnitas.