These are both repeats but WORTH repeating! First the pork carnitas. Keep an eye out for pork roasts on sale and this is cheap gourmet! I usually cut a roast in half and just cook up half at a time.
If you’re working with the half you froze before don’t defrost it all the way. It’s much easier to cube the pork when it’s still partially frozen.
Last time I made the tomatillo salsa I didn’t have the pickled jalapeno. I found some in a can at Safeway and added two pieces to the recipe tonight. Definitely kicks it up a notch!
Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled I might have used more, I like garlic
- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds sirloin pork roast or Boston butt pork roast, cut in cubes
- 1 cup chicken broth I used turkey because that’s what I found first in the freezer
- 1 Tbs lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- In a Dutch oven or oven proof skillet, mix together the tomato paste, salt, pepper, garlic cloves, and pork cubes, then pour the broth over all and stir some more. Cover and put in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the pork is very tender.
- Cool and refrigerate overnight.
- Skim any solidified fat off. Let the pork sit out for 30 minutes to get up to room temperature, then cook in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until most of the liquid is evaporated, 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
Tomatillo Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 small cans 12 oz or one large can of tomatillos
- a bit of liquid from the tomatillos, if needed
- 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- salt to taste
- a pickled jalapeno or one fresh jalapeno, chopped
- a squirt of lime juice
Instructions
- Drain the tomatillos but keep the liquid. You might want to add some in at the end.
- Pulse the tomatillos in your food processor, then add the rest of the ingredients and blend till it has the consistency you like. Taste and adjust the seasonings. If it’s too thick, add a bit of the liquid from the cans of tomatillo.
Served with refried beans, good thick tortillas, grated cheese, sour cream, chopped avocados, and a green salad.
Not much leftover for lunch tomorrow! Served 4 of us, including 3 teenagers.
[…] roast was a bone-in cut. I wanted half it to make pork carnitas again, so cut the roast roughly in half. They came out as delicious as always. I served them with […]