This is one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever find - just pork, salt and water. Yet the cooking technique makes it sizzle. The only thing you need to watch carefully is the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Once the water has all evaporated and the carnita pieces are nicely browned you must stop cooking or they’ll shrink up and be dried out. You want them to be big and still juicy, with a nicely browned outer crust.
The Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce is equally easy. One bit of advice - don’t add any water until the main ingredients are fully blended, as you don’t want the sauce to be too thin. If it’s already thin prior to adding water, you can thicken it by adding more avocado.
Both recipes are adapted from the world-class Mexican cooking authority Rick Bayless.
Carnitas
Preheat oven to 375.
4 pounds bone in pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch cubes
Salt - sprinkle liberally
- Place in pan with 1/3 C water
- Cover pan with foil or lid
- Cook at 375 covered for 1 hour
- Raise to 450 and cook uncovered for 30 min
- Cook for another 20 min, turning every 7-8 min
Serve with tortillas and Tomatillo Sauce
4 tomatillos - about 8 oz. peeled, rinsed
1 small avocado
1 large garlic clove, coarse chop
1 jalapeno or 2 serranos, coarse chop
1/2 to 2/3 C cilantro
2 teaspoons salt
- Puree in a blender
- Add water for consistency
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