Mexican flavours are a huge hit at our house. My two-year-old is into all things spicy, covered in salsa, and served in a tortilla. We have a few go-to recipes for meat including this slow cooked mexican pulled pork from Skinnytaste. I have made this roast a couple of times using a pastured pork picnic roast from Cool Springs Ranch. Seriously Sasky folks, if you haven't looked into getting your meats from this local farm you should.
The first step to any good roast is browning your meat. This locks in the juices and builds flavour. Don't ever skip this step. Ever. You want your pan to be screaming hot so the meat sizzles as soon as it touches the heat. I never use a pan with a non-stick coating for this job. They're not meant to be used at high temps and I'm very leery about chemicals leaching into my food. Plus, your meat won't be sticking if you're searing it right. This brings me to my second tip: be patient. If you go to flip your roast and it sticks, let it be. When it is finished cooking, it will release itself from the surface, no problem.
Once your pork is browned, you are going to season it. I made my own sazon and adobo seasonings. I try to make my own spice blends whenever I can so I know what's going in them and so I can control the salt. Side note: have you ever read the ingredients on those pre-made mixes? Ick. You can make up a batch and store in an airtight jar in your spice cupboard.
Once your meat is rubbed and stuffed with flavour, it's ready for cooking. Low and slow is the game here and I've found my slow cooker doesn't cut it. So what do I use? My oven. That's right. My Kenmore has a slow cook feature and there's a good chance yours does too. Since I started using mine, no more dry roasts. It provides a lower and more consistent heat than my actual slow cooker and has all the same convenient features, including a timer that will shut off the oven when it's finished. If your oven has this option, I encourage you to try it and let me know how you like it.
You may have noticed that my chiles in adobo look like frozen pucks. That's because they are. I have never encountered a recipe that required a whole can and I hate wasting, so I started freezing the leftovers all chopped and ready to go in my mini muffin pans to use later. Are you guys writing this shit down? I am on fire with my kitchen tips today.
Eight hours later you will have perfectly tender meat that just falls apart when you touch it. I use ours in tacos and quesadillas, or over rice. You could also serve it on a bun or on nachos with your favourite toppings. We made tacos topped with salsa, sour cream, back beans, and cheese. Make sure you get the good stone-ground corn tortillas that don't have all the extra preservatives in them. We always keep a bag in the freezer. All of the extra meat gets pulled and frozen on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and then stored in the freezer for quick supper prep.
Enjoy!
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas at Skinnytaste
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