Killer Carnitas
Original recipe by: Leslie Brenner
Out-of-this-world carnitas are surprisingly easy to make. Choose a nicely fatty picnic roast (also known as pork butt), so you'll have plenty of fat to melt and brown the carnitas at the end. Total cooking time is about an hour and half, maybe a little less. They're fabulous with warm corn tortillas and roasted salsa verde. Guacamole is great folded into a taco with them, too.
Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
3 to 3 1/2-pound picnic roast (also known as pork butt), cut off the bone into 3-inch chunks
2 teaspoons salt
A few thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
3 wide strips of orange zest
Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Place the meat in a Dutch oven, cover with cold water and add the salt, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and orange zest. Bring it to a boil, uncovered, then reduce the heat and let it cook briskly until all the water has evaporated – about an hour and ten minutes (or more or less, depending on how brisk…