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Homemade Carnitas with Tomatillo Sauce from MimiAvocado.com
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Homemade Carnitas

Homemade carnitas that melts in your mouth is easy to make in a slow cooker or on top of the stove, and fills your kitchen with a wonderful aroma! Make tacos, burritos, or just eat it right out of the pot!
Course Tacos
Cuisine Mexican American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Author Mimi Holtz

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 onion peeled and chopped
  • 3 - 5 garlic cloves diced
  • 1 pork shoulder roast 6-10 lbs.
  • 2 cups water or chicken broth
  • 8-10 tomatillos with skins removed
  • 1 medium sized jalapeño pepper
  • 2 teaspoon crushed garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Brown the chopped onion and garlic in a heavy pot in the oil.
  • Add the roast and brown on all sides.
  • Add the water or broth and cover the pot.
  • Simmer on medium low for 3 to 6 hours, making sure that the liquid doesn't evaporate, until the bone can be removed easily and the meat falls apart.
  • Pour off the cooking liquid, leaving about 1/2 cup.
  • With 2 forks, shred the meat until it is no longer chunky.
  • Sauce:
  • Remove the outer skins from the tomatillos.
  • In a sauce pan of boiling water, cook the tomatillos and jalapeño pepper for 5-7 minutes, until they change from bright green to yellowish green.
  • Cut 1 inch from the bottom of the pepper and remove any seeds that might be inside.
  • Place the cooked tomatillos and the piece of pepper into the blender with crushed garlic and salt.
  • Puree until smooth.
  • Pour the sauce over the shredded pork and gently mix until evenly distributed.
  • Serve with fresh salsa and/or fresh cilantro.