Pumpkins aren't just for pies or Halloween decorations. These large, orange gourds - while naturally sweet - also work well in savory dishes. They pair well with poultry and pork (and especially bacon) and their creamy-when-cooked texture blends easily into soups.
Seattle Slow Cooker Fresca Carnitas
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- #56727
serves/makes:
ready in:
over 5 hrs
over 5 hrs
2 reviews
1 comment
ingredients
4 pounds boneless pork butt or shoulder roast
6 cans fresca (or diet cola)
1/2 can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
2 cups red wine
2 limes
1/2 cup crushed garlic
1/4 cup liquid smoke
1/4 cup salt
1 cup water
directions
Rinse pork well. Cut into 2 inch cubes, you don't have to be picky about size, but don't make them to small.
In a large bowl combine half the fresca, the onion soup mix, 1/2 the OJ concentrate, the liquid smoke, half the red wine, half the crushed garlic and the salt. Stir well until all of ingredients are dissolved. Place pork cubes in the brine mixture, refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
After 12 hours, drain the brine and pat dry the pork cubes. Now this part is crucial since it will help break down the fat and help tenderize the pork. Deep fry the pork cubes for at least 5 minutes or until they begin to turn golden. Place in strainer, draining off excess oil.
In a new bowl combine remaining Oj concentrate, remaining fresca, and remaining red wine. Stir well. In crockpot, place pork and the new stock mixture. Cook on high for about 4-6 hours, until the pork is able to pull apart. Drain stock mixture.
In frying pan place carnitas, taco mix and water, cook until most of the liquid is gone, stirring often, but try not to break apart the carnitas. Cool and shred, place on your tortilla of choice
cook's notes
These carnitas are a bit time consuming with odd ingredients, but cheap and easy to make and taste awesome.
added by
patriciahill
crock pot notes
Crock pots/slow cookers all heat differently. There is no standard among manufacturers. Cooking times are suggested guidelines based on our testing. Please adjust cooking times and temps to work with your brand and model of slow cooker.nutrition data
429 calories, 28 grams fat, 5 grams carbohydrates, 36 grams protein per serving. This recipe is low in carbs.
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reviews & comments
September 19, 2011
Seattle Carnitas were delicious! I used the 1+ Cup of the stock mix from the crockpot with the taco seasoning packet to give the Carnitas great flavor. Loved the recipe. It is a bit time consuming, but most of the time is spent waiting for the next step. Enjoy!!!!
February 13, 2008
This recipe turned out excellent, which is a miracle because it lacks directions on what to do with the limes, and what to do with the other half of the crushed garlic. It needs to be amended. We served the limes to squeeze on the carnitas at the table, and we put the other half of the crushed garlic with the other remaining ingredients which starts: "In a new bowl combine remaining Oj concentrate, remaining fresca, and remaining red wine." Wish I knew if that was the original intent. My husband thought the carnitas were a bit on the sweet side, but I loved them. Tasted fruity in a good way.
The recipe does not specify what to do with the limes. Trying to make it tomorrow. Help?
Lime juice is often used in the marinating process in Mexican recipes. Looking at the order of ingredients and where they fall into the directions, however, I would have to guess that the juiced limes are added to the remaining wine/OJ mixture. (Personally, I would add it to the initial marinade - lime juice in the crockpot just doesn't sound good to me!). Either way, they aren't a critical part of the recipe, but they do add a little flavor.