homesick texan carnitas
I am embarrassed by how long it took me to discover carnitas, or “little meats” that are usually braised then roasted, and are as far I quickly became concerned, the very best thing to pile on a blistered corn tortilla. I had my first one just a couple years ago. I was pregnant at the time and protein-rich foods were ten times as delicious as they normally were so when I became obsessed with having another, and then another, I chalked it up to baby madness. But that kid is now two, and my carnita fixation has gone nowhere. (And no, people, I’m not pregnant. In fact, I’m pouring whiskey into my coffee as we speak, just like I always do after preschool drop-offs.)
Estimated Nutrition (whole recipe, rough)
What these numbers assume — 6 portions →
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Pork | 100g cooked | 242 |
| Orange | 1 medium (131g) | 62 |
| Lime | juice of 1 lime (44ml) | 11 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
Totals for the whole recipe, adding one typical portion per ingredient — listed above. Quantities in the recipe are not counted, so this is a rough guide only — not suitable for medical or dietary planning.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup lime juice (from about 2 to 3 limes)
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste