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These crispy mojo beer carnitas are going to change your tastebuds life! Mojo marinated pork shoulder, slow cooked in beer all day, for the most tender, juicy pork. The cooked pork is shredded, drizzled in the mojo beer sauce, and broiled in the oven for delicious crispy carnitas. This mojo beer carnitas recipe is perfect for tacos, bowls, burritos, quesadillas, and more!
What are carnitas?
Carnitas translates to “little meats” and originated in Michoacán, Mexico. Carnitas are traditionally braised or simmered in lard for many hours (or even the entire day) until tender and juicy.
What type of pork to use for carnitas
For carnitas, pork shoulder is traditionally used. Boneless Boston butt is located just above the shoulder of the pig, and can also be used for this carnitas recipe. Pork shoulder has fat marbled throughout the meat, so when slow cooked, the meat becomes flavorful, tender and juicy. If you cook pork shoulder too fast with high heat, you will not get the fall apart juicy tender meat that we all love for shredded pork.
What is mojo?
In cuban cooking mojo is a sauce typically made with oil (or lard), garlic, and citrus juices (traditionally orange juice). Mojo sauce is mostly used as a marinade for pork, chicken, or steak. The citrus in the mojo marinade breaks down and tenderizes meat, so when cooked you’ll have juicy tender meat to enjoy.
Marinating pork in mojo
- Cut the pork shoulder into large pieces. Fat gives the pork flavor, but if there is a thick layer on the top, trim the fat a bit and discard.
- Add spices to the pork: dark brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, oregano, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
- Add in 1 large yellow onion, cut into chunks, 6 cloves garlic pressed, orange juice, peels from orange, and lime juice.
- Mix all the ingredients so the pork is fully coated in spices. Cover and marinate overnight in refrigerator.
Slow cooking carnitas
- The next day, add the mojo marinated pork and all of the marinate to the slow cooker.
- Add in 6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, this will give a smokey flavor and little kick to the carnitas.
- Pour in beer.
- Using tongs, mix all the ingredients and set the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.
Why use beer when braising?
Braising meat in beer not only helps tenderize the meat, but it brings out the richness of the meats. The alcohol ends up evaporating with cooking, so you won’t taste it, just the notes of the beer in the meat. When using beer with pork, I use lighter beers. For this mojo beer carnitas recipe, I love playing up the citrus flavor with a beer such as blue moon or feel free to use your favorite light beer!
Carnitas sauce
After the pork is done slow cooking, remove with tongs and set aside. Laddle, or carefully pour all of the remaining sauce into a colander with a pot or bowl underneath. Using a fork or spoon, press down on the onions/peppers/oranges to release as much juice as possible. Bring to a boil on the stovetop, then allow to simmer while you shred the pork.
Shredding pork into carnitas
Using two forks, shred the pork into chunks. The pork should be very tender and easily shreddable. As mentioned before, high heat is not your friend when cooking pork to be shredded. Once all the pork is shredded, place on a large baking sheet, in one even layer.
Saucing the carnitas
Using the mojo beer sauce, spoon a couple of tbsp of sauce over the carnitas. I would say I used about a 1/4-1/3 of a cup total. You don’t want a ton of sauce or else the pork will have trouble crisping up in the oven. Keep the rest of the sauce for when you eat it, you can drizzle more on/dip your tacos in.
Crisping carnitas
What we all love most about carnitas, is the crispy bits of pork. After you have sauced the pork, put it in the oven under the broiler on high. You have to keep an eye, because last thing you want is to burn everything after all these hours! Broil for 2-3 minutes, or until carnitas begin to crisp on top.
How to eat carnitas
I like to keep it simple when having carnitas, to let the pork shine. I char corn tortillas, add the mojo beer carnitas, drizzle some extra sauce, top with minced white onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime on top. You can also enjoy these mojo beer carnitas in a bowl, in a burrito, a quesadilla, the options are endless!
Other taco recipes
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Mojo Beer Carnitas
Ingredients
Carnitas Marinade
- 3 1/2 pounds pork shoulder
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons dark chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 cloves garlic (pressed or minced)
- 1 large yellow onion (large dice)
- 2 large oranges (outsides peeled with vegetable peeler, then rest of orange juiced (1/2 cup))
- 4 limes (juiced (1/4 cup))
- 3 bay leaves
For crockpot after marinade
- 7 ounces chipotles in adobo (6 peppers used)
- 12 ounces Blue Moon beer (or light beer/lager of choice)
Serve Carnitas with
- Corn tortillas (charred/warmed)
- 1 white onion (minced)
- 1/3 cup cilantro (chopped)
- Lime wedges
Equipment
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Instructions
Marinating pork
- Cut the pork shoulder into large pieces. Fat gives the pork flavor, but if there is a thick layer on the top, trim the fat a bit and discard. Add into a large bowl.
- Add spices to the pork: dark brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Next add in the rest of the ingredients: yellow onion, pressed garlic, orange juice, orange peels, lime juice. Using your hands, mix all the ingredients until the pork is fully coated in the spices. Tuck the bay leaves into the pork, cover with wrap, and place in refrigerator. Marinate overnight.
Slow Cooker
- Once the pork is done marinating, dump all of the marinade ingredients into a slow cooker. Add in 6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and pour in the beer.
- Using tongs, mix all the ingredients and set the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. *Note: high heat cooking is not recommended for this recipe*
Finishing Carnitas
- After the pork is done slow cooking, remove the pork with tongs and set aside on a cutting board.
- Laddle or carefully pour all of the remaining sauce into a colander with a pot or bowl underneath. Using a fork or spoon, press down on the onions/peppers/oranges to release as much juice as possible. Bring the sauce to a boil on the stovetop, then allow to simmer while you shred the pork.
- Using two forks, shred the pork into chunks. The pork should be very tender and easily shreddable. Once all the pork is shredded, place on a large baking sheet, in one even layer.
- Turn high broiler on the oven, on
- Using the mojo beer sauce, spoon a couple of tbsp of sauce over the carnitas, about a 1/4-1/3 of a cup total. Keep the rest of the sauce for when serving.
- Put the tray of carnitas in the oven under the broiler on high. Broil for 2-3 minutes, or until carnitas begin to crisp on top. Keep a close eye, so they do not burn. Remove from oven.
Serving Carnitas
- To serve, add mojo beer carnitas to charred corn tortilla. Drizzle a little sauce over the top, follow by the minced white onion, chopped cilantro, and add a squeeze of lime over top. Enjoy!
Notes
What type of pork to use
- For carnitas, pork shoulder is traditionally used. Boneless Boston butt is located just above the shoulder of the pig, and can also be used for this carnitas recipe. Pork shoulder has fat marbled throughout the meat, so when slow cooked, the meat becomes flavorful, tender and juicy.
Cooking pork
- If you cook pork shoulder too fast with high heat, you will not get the fall apart juicy tender meat that we all love for shredded pork. I do not recommend cooking on high heat or for less than 6 hours.
Other uses
- These mojo beer carnitas are so versatile. You can use the meat in burritos, quesadillas, bowls, sandwiches, there are endless possibilities.
Storing/reheating carnitas
- Store carnitas in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Store sauce in a seperate airtight container.
- You can cool and add into a freezer bag to freeze for longer keeping. Freeze sauce separately. Move into refrigerator to defrost.
- To reheat, you can place in oven at 325F for 15 minutes, or you can microwave. If pork is no longer crispy, broil to crisp back up. I recommend adding a bit more sauce when reheating, because pork can dry out in refrigerator.
