Camadile
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Carnitas Tacos!
Ever since I tasted the very special carnitas I had at a small restaurant way down in Baja, I have been working on duplicating the incredible flavor, tenderness and crispy crust found in every morsel. This effort has taken me over ten years and countless batches, but I think I’ve finally got it nailed!
These carnitas tacos served with freshly made Pico de Gallo have now become a required meal on most of our adventures and although they require a significant amount of prep time, most of that work can be done at home before the trip. In this case, the best tacos you have ever had can be ready to scarf down in as little as 20 minutes at your campsite!
Carnitas Ingredients:
One “Boston Butt” pork shoulder roast, cut into 1” to 1 ½” slabs (use the section with the bone too). Don’t worry about the fat – most of it will boil out during the cook and what is left will just add to the juiciness when you are done.
Three medium onions, slivered
½ head of fresh garlic, rough chopped
One tablespoon of ground cumin
One tablespoon of cinnamon
One teaspoon of salt
Two teaspoons ground black pepper
Two to three 12 oz. beers – you pick the flavors but don’t use more than one IPA and no light beers please! Use just enough beer to barely cover the pork in the pot.
Carnitas Preparation:
Note: For the cook shown in these photos, I used a Dutch oven and charcoal because I think that gives the best results (but not by much.) You can just use a stock pot on the stove if you want.
Fill the bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven with the slivered onions. Place the pork slabs and bone section over the onions. Sprinkle the cumin, cinnamon and fresh garlic on top of the pork and down the sides of the pot. Fill the pot up with beer by pouring it over the meat. Bring the pot up to a boil and then adjust the heat to a slow boil, cover the pot and stir the mixture about every half hour for 2 ½ hours. The carnitas is done when you can easily separate the meat with a fork.
If you are preparing the Carnitas at home to be used on a future camp out, pour the entire contents of the pot through a strainer, remove the bone and spoon the strained pork and onions into a zip-loc bag and freeze.
Pico de Gallo Ingredients:
Note: The freshness of the Pico de Gallo is important so it is best prepared as close as possible to meal time. You can chop up the ingredients a day or two ahead of time and put each one in its own airtight container and then mix them together just before eating.
One large or two medium onions, chopped
Three medium tomatoes, chopped
Two or three fresh jalapenos, de-seeded and finely chopped
One bunch of cilantro, rough chopped
One tablespoon or more of vegetable or olive oil
One tablespoon of red wine, cider or rice vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl using a spoon. Smell the awesome aromas!
It’s Taco Time!
In a large frying pan (I use a Mojoe Griddle over my campfire), heat up a small amount of vegetable oil and lightly fry both sides of your corn tortillas (you want them still soft and pliable). Stack them up in a covered pot to keep them warm. Now it’s time to crisp up the carnitas! Put enough of the boiled carnitas so that everyone will have enough for two to three tacos, in the hot frying pan. Chop up the carnitas into small chunks using your spatula. Add a little vegetable oil and salt and fry the carnitas until golden brown.
Taco Assembly:
Place two or three cooked tortillas flat on a plate and fill each with moist tender and crispy carnitas chunks. Spoon the Pico de Gallo over the meat and serve with a few slices of lime to squeeze over the taco. I like them best with sour cream or Mexican crema and hot sauce on the top. You are now a campsite hero!
Cam
Ever since I tasted the very special carnitas I had at a small restaurant way down in Baja, I have been working on duplicating the incredible flavor, tenderness and crispy crust found in every morsel. This effort has taken me over ten years and countless batches, but I think I’ve finally got it nailed!
These carnitas tacos served with freshly made Pico de Gallo have now become a required meal on most of our adventures and although they require a significant amount of prep time, most of that work can be done at home before the trip. In this case, the best tacos you have ever had can be ready to scarf down in as little as 20 minutes at your campsite!
Carnitas Ingredients:
One “Boston Butt” pork shoulder roast, cut into 1” to 1 ½” slabs (use the section with the bone too). Don’t worry about the fat – most of it will boil out during the cook and what is left will just add to the juiciness when you are done.
Three medium onions, slivered
½ head of fresh garlic, rough chopped
One tablespoon of ground cumin
One tablespoon of cinnamon
One teaspoon of salt
Two teaspoons ground black pepper
Two to three 12 oz. beers – you pick the flavors but don’t use more than one IPA and no light beers please! Use just enough beer to barely cover the pork in the pot.
Carnitas Preparation:
Note: For the cook shown in these photos, I used a Dutch oven and charcoal because I think that gives the best results (but not by much.) You can just use a stock pot on the stove if you want.
Fill the bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven with the slivered onions. Place the pork slabs and bone section over the onions. Sprinkle the cumin, cinnamon and fresh garlic on top of the pork and down the sides of the pot. Fill the pot up with beer by pouring it over the meat. Bring the pot up to a boil and then adjust the heat to a slow boil, cover the pot and stir the mixture about every half hour for 2 ½ hours. The carnitas is done when you can easily separate the meat with a fork.
If you are preparing the Carnitas at home to be used on a future camp out, pour the entire contents of the pot through a strainer, remove the bone and spoon the strained pork and onions into a zip-loc bag and freeze.
Pico de Gallo Ingredients:
Note: The freshness of the Pico de Gallo is important so it is best prepared as close as possible to meal time. You can chop up the ingredients a day or two ahead of time and put each one in its own airtight container and then mix them together just before eating.
One large or two medium onions, chopped
Three medium tomatoes, chopped
Two or three fresh jalapenos, de-seeded and finely chopped
One bunch of cilantro, rough chopped
One tablespoon or more of vegetable or olive oil
One tablespoon of red wine, cider or rice vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl using a spoon. Smell the awesome aromas!
It’s Taco Time!
In a large frying pan (I use a Mojoe Griddle over my campfire), heat up a small amount of vegetable oil and lightly fry both sides of your corn tortillas (you want them still soft and pliable). Stack them up in a covered pot to keep them warm. Now it’s time to crisp up the carnitas! Put enough of the boiled carnitas so that everyone will have enough for two to three tacos, in the hot frying pan. Chop up the carnitas into small chunks using your spatula. Add a little vegetable oil and salt and fry the carnitas until golden brown.
Taco Assembly:
Place two or three cooked tortillas flat on a plate and fill each with moist tender and crispy carnitas chunks. Spoon the Pico de Gallo over the meat and serve with a few slices of lime to squeeze over the taco. I like them best with sour cream or Mexican crema and hot sauce on the top. You are now a campsite hero!
Cam
