Carnitas are a traditional Mexican main dish and a filling used in tacos and other dishes. Usually made with cheaper cuts of meat, this way of cooking carnitas makes the meat tender enough to melt in your mouth and can be served with a variety of different side dishes. This article will provide instructions on how to cook carnitas in the oven.
Ingredients
- 1.8 kg boneless, skinless shoulder meat
- 4 fresh serrano chilies
- 1 medium size onion
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons of dried coriander
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- Pepper and salt
Step
Method 1 of 3: Preparing Materials
Step 1. Prepare the onions, garlic, and chilies
Place the onion, garlic and serrabo chili on a clean, dry cutting board. Peel and divide the onion into 4 parts, cut the 4 chilies in half in the middle and leave the seeds, crush the 4 cloves of garlic with the flat side of a chef's knife. Prepare the vegetables while you cook the shoulder meat.
Step 2. Cut the shoulder meat
Use a sharp knife to cut the meat into slices 5.1 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. Don't throw away the fat; during the cooking process, the fat will melt with the meat and make it soft and delicious.
If you prefer to cook the shoulder meat whole, you can do this too. Skip this step and follow the rest of the instructions using whole meat
Step 3. Sprinkle the shoulder cutlets with seasonings
Place the cutlets in a bowl and pour the seasonings over them. Use tongs or your hands to mix the spices with the meat until it's completely coated. Add salt and pepper to your liking and layer over the meat.
- You can use different spices with this recipe. If you want your carnitas to have a very spicy taste, add 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder.
- Do not reduce salt; You can add up to 2 teaspoons of salt.
Method 2 of 3: Cooking Carnitas
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 177 degrees Celsius first
Step 2. Cook the shoulder meat until it turns brown
Place a large cooking pot on the stove. Put the oil in a saucepan and turn the heat to medium to high. When the oil is hot, put the cutlets in it. Cook until one part is brown and then use tongs to flip it over and cook the other part until it is brown as well.
- Do not overcook the cutlets. You don't need to cook it thoroughly. Just make sure to bring out the delicious taste of the meat.
- Remove the pan from the stove when you're done.
Step 3. Put the vegetables in the pot
Arrange the vegetables around the cutlets so that they touch each other on the bottom of the pan. Pour 1.2 to 2.5 cm of water and cover the pot.
Step 4. Cook the carnitas
Place the pan in the oven and let the carnita cook in it for 4 hours. Check the pan several times during cooking to make sure your meat isn't drying out or scorching. Remove the pan from the oven once the carnitas are soft when pierced with a fork.
- If you prefer to cook the carnitas in a slow cooker, transfer the meat and vegetables to the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
- If the carnitas appear dry during cooking, add 1/2 cup water.
- Do not remove the carnitas until they are completely soft. Cooking the carnitas for a shorter time will give the meat tougher.
Method 3 of 3: Serving Carnitas
Step 1. Serve the carnitas as a main dish
Place the carnitas on a plate along with the grated lettuce, chopped tomatoes, lime wedges, a pinch of coriander and chopped onions. Serve with warm tortillas and a little sour cream.
Step 2. Make the carnitas tacos
Fill a soft taco shell or taco tortilla with a few scoops of carnitas. Sprinkle the tacos with your favorite sauce such as salsa, guacamole, lettuce, cotija cheese and black beans.
Step 3. Make the carnitas enchiladas
Fill the tortillas with carnitas, then roll them up and line them up on the bottom of a deep grilling dish. Pour the red or green enchilada sauce over the top, then sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling. Serve with sour cream and lettuce.
Tips
- Prepare the salsa and guacamole as close as possible to ensure the texture and flavor of the ingredients. Rice and beans will have a more delicious taste if made the night before serving.
- Pork rump or ribs can be substituted for shoulder meat when making carnitas. More expensive cuts of meat are not needed and have too little fat so the browning process is more difficult and requires the addition of liquid fat to brown well.
- If cotija cheese is not available, you can use Swiss or Gruyère cheese instead.
