Soft Tacos with Chipotle Carnitas
CARNITAS
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch chunks
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- One 15½-ounce can plum tomatoes in juice, drained
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- Corn tortillas, for serving
Instructions:
Pork shoulder is one of the great meat cuts. Sure, it takes a long time to cook, but the flavorful reward is worth the time.
- To make the carnitas, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300°F.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the pork with the ½ teaspoons of the salt and pepper. In batches, add the pork to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a plate, leaving the fat in the Dutch oven.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the Dutch oven and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until it gives off its fragrance, about 1 minute. Pour in 1 cup water and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits in the Dutch oven with a wooden spatula.
- Return the pork to the Dutch oven. Add the oregano, cumin, and bay leaves, and stir well. Cover and bake until the pork is very tender, about 2 hours.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a platter. Boil the cooking liquid in the Dutch oven until reduced to about ½ cup, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the chipotle sauce. Puree the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chipotles together in a blender. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the puree (it will splatter, so be careful) and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring often, until reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pork and vinegar and cook until the pork is heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot with warm tortillas on the side.