Crispy abodo dry rubbed pork shoulder roasted till tender then simmered in a spicy blend of tomatoes, jalapeno, red chili and peppers..

What’s going on here

Pork shoulder

Pork shoulder is a versatile cut that does well braising, roasting, stewing  or slow cooking. The cut itself oftentimes comes with the blade bone and the butt. The cut is moist and tender when handled properly and it’s a excellent cut for beginners.

Adobo

For my adobo i like to rub my pork with oil to help the seasoning stick. Once rubbed i mix a generous amount of oregano, cumin, garlic and black pepper to make the perfect seasoning for my pork. 

Pureed jalapeño and tomatoes

Pureed jalapenos and tomatoes are the spicy sauce that adds a touch of moisture to my crispy pork. the key it to let the crispy pork slightly simmer in the shallow sauce so that the pork picks up the spice along with the added moisture.

SPICES

You can really keep your adobo spice as simple or as complex as you’d like. The pork can take any and all flavor and since it’s such a large cut it needs a lot of it. This spice rub features kitchen staples black pepper, cayenne, cumin, thyme and oregano. With a nice even layer of salt to really penetrate the meat it makes for super juicy pork.

BROTH

Broth gives the pork something to break down into and soak up. Beef or vegetable are both great options. Broth adds more flavor instead of diluting like water.

Tips and tricks for the best Adobo carnitas

Making the adobo

making the adobo includes all your favorite herbs and spices. adjust and customize the heat by using your favorite dried crushed peppers. add or as much or as little garlic as you like. adobo is super customizable to taste and preference make it a wet batter by adding vinegar and more oil.

Cubing the pork

removing the pork from the bone and cubing it gives you ultra crispy pork pieces. cubing the pork also gives you more opportunity to season the meat. since you’ll be able to get further into the meat. to cube the meat start off by gliding the blade to the side of the bone to separate the meat from the bone, work the knife around the bone till its completely removed. once the bone is removed, freeze it or use it for stocks, soups or stews. cube the pork from the available meat. start by cutting the meat into slices, followed by strips and then cubes.

Roasting the pork

the smaller you cut the meat the quicker it will cook. but make the chunks large enough so that they have some time  to roast in the oven. when roasting the pork once its fork tender its done, leave the fat on the pork so that it can get crisp and baste the pork in the oven.

Simmering the pork

when finishing the pork in the sauce Its just to coat the pork not cook it. once the pork is removed from the oven simmer it in sauce for ten minutes then let it sit till ready to serve. the sauce is just a spicy addition to the tender crispy pork.

PEPPER ALTERNATIVES FOR MORE HEAT

adjust the heat by using your favorite peppers. chipotle are a great starting points they have a ton of flavor but not so much heat build onto that by adding dried or fresh peppers great peppers for this dish include Serrano, chili de Arbol, jalapeño, or habanero.

Similar ingredients to

SHREDDED PORK CARNITAS QUESADILLA

CHILI CON CARNE STUFFED BAKED POTATOES

SOUTHERN STYLE PORK NECK BONES, ONIONS & COLLARD GREENS

Enjoy this recipe with

TACO TRUCK GREEN SAUCE

TAQUERIA STYLE RED SAUCE

REFRIED PINTO BEANS

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