Carnitas, Extra Crispy

Here's my version of that Spanish Village treat. I think mine were almost as good, and Chuck says this version ranks among my top two or three best Tex-Mex dishes. Start this early in the day so you can have it ready for dinner.

4-5 lb pork shoulder roast (sometimes called a butt, but then so am I)
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin powder
2 tsp. crushed MEXICAN oregano (if you don't have that, don't use any)
2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. orange juice
Water
Vegetable oil


Mix spices and salt together in a big mixing bowl. Then cut the roast into two inch cubes, and trim outer fat away. There will be a lot of fat still in the cubes, but it will braise away, so don't beat yourself up over it. Also, the cubes don't have to be perfect in shape. Toss the cubes in the spice mixture.

Heat a big, oven-proof dutch oven with a lid on top the stove, add some oil and begin browning the cubes, in ONE-layer batches, until they are brown on at least two sides. Remove them to a plate and brown the next layer. Should take about four batches to do this. Don't try to hurry this step; use tongs to resist the urge to stir.

Turn oven to 300 degrees. Pour orange juice into the dutch oven and bring to a boil, stirring to deglaze the bottom of the pan, then dump the cubes back into the pot. Add water to barely cover the meat, bring to a simmer again, clap the lid on and bake for three hours.

Stir after first hour and second. When the pork is very tender, about hour three, remove the pot from the oven and remove the cubes from the pot. Then let the liquid sit for a while (I put the whole thing in my big freezer for about 40 minutes)until the fat rises to the surface. Skim ALL of that off. Simmer the liquid for another hour or so, until reduced. Remaining fat can be skimmed off with a cold tablespoon.

In the meantime, go through each cube and tear into smaller chunks, removing the fat that didn't melt away. This is VERY easy to do. If you still want to remove more fat, run very hot water over the meat in a colander.

Now you can stop, put the whole thing in the fridge and wait until later. OR . . .

Spread the meat on a rimmed cookie sheet (or jellyroll pan), spoon some of the sauce over to "wet" it. Try not to drink the rest of the sauce.

Just before you're ready to serve, turn on the broiler and slide in the cookie sheet for about 6 - 8 minutes.

You will already have put on the table: warm tortillas (I like corn but do both); a lettuce and carrot salad dressed with lime cumin dressing; my home-made tomatillo sauce; guacamole; and possibly frijoles a la charra. Dump the carnitas on a big serving platter and watch people go nuts.

Other recipes available on request. Here's my frijoles a la charra recipe: Drive to El Rey on Shepherd and Washington. Order two large.