Carnitas. One of the best preparations of pork that was ever created, Mexican style. The foundation of one of the best tacos that you can eat.
What a perfect candidate for our new best friend, the Slow Cooker.
Here's an example of what the best about slow cookery: turning the everyday into the divine. I bought a 3 lb. boneless pork shoulder at the market, a most humble piece of meat, which cost around $7.00. I cut it up into 1 - 2" chunks, seasoned it with salt, pepper, Mexican oregano, and a bunch of other spices (truth be told, my husband came home and "doctored" it according to his tastes, which are very good - I saw garlic salt and fresh-squeezed orange juice go into the pot). I topped it with roughly chopped onion, set the heat on low, and walked away.
6 hours later, the meat was fragrant and falling apart, ready to be hand-shredded. Now, the key to carnitas is the 2nd step, which is putting the cooked meat into the oven. It lets the juices settle into the meat, and the top gets crispy crunchy which is so important for the depth of texture and taste. I have found that slow cooking meat usually has 2 steps, either browning before it goes into the pot, or roasting afterwards - otherwise you end up with mush - tasty mush, but mush.
Everyone has their own opinion for what makes a great taco, but this combo worked great for me: carnitas, avocado, tomatoes, onions, salsa verde, sour cream, and lots of cilantro on a handmade corn & wheat tortilla.
Talk about economical - the 3 lb roast made enough for more than 3 days worth of meals. Because I bought all of the produce at a local fruit & vegetable stand, I don't think I spent over $15.00 total. It would be great for a family meal or having a few friends over for movie night, with lots of good beer on hand, of course.
