Pulled Pork to Carnitas

13 years ago

I'm mostly a lurker on this forum but I'm offering a recipe in exchange for some advice. My husband is from coastal North Carolina so I've tried a bunch of recipes over the years in an attempt to recreate authentic tasting vinegar based pulled pork. I came across a new one recently and gave it a try yesterday. It was not only the easiest method I've used so far but the end result was also deemed "very close" to the pork my hubby and bil grew up with. Here goes:

Slow Cooker Carolina Pulled Pork

Pork Shoulder
2 Smoked Pork Chops
1 1/2 c Cider Vinegar
3T Brown Sugar
2t Cayenne Pepper
2t Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper

Season the shoulder roast with salt and pepper. Place in slow cooker. Pour cider vinegar around roast. Cook on low 12 hours. Remove roast from cooker and shred meat. Strain liquid from cooker, reserving 2 cups. Add brown sugar, cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to liquid, whisk to blend. Place shredded meat back in cooker. Chop smoked chops, add to shredded pork. (Recipe calls for smoked ham but my butcher always has great smoked chops available, so that's what I used.) Pour liquid mixture over meat and stir. Hold meat in cooker on low until ready to serve.

Like I said, this was super easy and really tasty too ... but it's a lot of meat for just four people and I have leftovers. Lots of leftovers. I also have some leftover tortilla soup in the freezer (from another meal) and I thought it would be good with pork carnitas. Any idea how to reheat/reseason the pulled pork to make it less North Carolina and more south of the border?

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Comments (13)

Teresa_MN
13 years ago
Welcome to the CF! I cannot answer your question but I'm sure another member can.

Your recipe sounds great! I hope to see more of you.

Teresa
edeevee
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you for the warm welcome, Teresa!
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My crock pot does not hold very much water, and so covering the ingredients with water did not amount to very much. The broth came out fairly intense, and so it actually needed more water. I took the turkey thighs out after 3-1/2 hours (approximately) and let them cool enough to handle, removed the meat for later use, and returned the bones and skin back to the pot for another four hours or so. I whacked the thigh bones in half before returning them. I made the split pea soup with in my pressure cooker with some of the stock, half an onion, 1/2 pound of dried split peas, one clove of garlic, about a cup of chopped celery, a couple of cayenne chilies (from my yard), some of the small pieces of turkey meat, and some vegetable soup base. After 12 minutes, they were more than done. The cayenne from my yard this year is particularly hot - it is a volunteer plant growing in a pot that used to have a Habanero chili in it, and I think it must be a hybrid of cayenne and Habanero. The chilies look like cayenne, but they are hotter than Habanero, and so I have to be careful when I use them. They dry on the plant, and so I can just harvest all of them and store them inside for later use, but I will have to label them as extra spicy. The good thing about the crock pot is that I can store the pot in the fridge, and so the excess stock is still in the pot. I'll probably freeze it, since it takes me a while to get around to using it, and I need to wait for cooler weather, which is not due for a while.
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I made the following recipe from The Kitchn. It was the first time I ever made pulled pork, and it got raves from my guests, who made off with all the leftovers. How To Cook (and Shred) a Pork Shoulder Makes approximately 10 cups shredded pork What You Need Ingredients 4 to 6 pounds boneless pork shoulder or butt (or 5 to 7 pounds bone-in) 1/2 tablespoon salt 1/2 tablespoon pepper 1 to 3 tablespoons mixed spices or dry herbs (see Recipe Notes) 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil 1 yellow onion, sliced (optional) 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped (optional) 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped (optional) 4 cloves garlic, smashed (optional) 1 1/2 cups liquid — chicken or vegetable broth, tomato juice, light or amber beer, white or red wine, orange juice, or a mix of several liquids 2 to 4 tablespoons liquid smoke (optional) 1/4 to 1/2 cup barbecue sauce (optional) Equipment Cutting board Chef's knife Measuring cups and spoons 5-quart or larger Dutch oven Large mixing bowl Dinner forks (optional) Instructions Heat the oven to 325°F: Heat the oven to 325°F. Place an oven rack in the lower-middle of the oven. Trim the pork: Trim off any large pieces of fat from the outside, but leave small pieces and the interior fat. If using boneless pork, cut the pork into several large fist-sized pieces. If using bone-in, leave the pork as is, on the bone. Season the pork: Sprinkle the pork with salt, pepper, and spices. Rub the seasoning into the pork with your fingers so the meat is evenly coated on all sides. Sear the pork (optional): If you have time, searing will deepen the final flavor of your pork and give it some textural contrast. Warm the oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the pork on all sides, working in batches as necessary so as not to crowd the pan. For more detailed step-by-step instructions, see How To Sear Meat. Add the vegetables (if using): Onions, garlic, and other vegetables also deepen the final flavor of the pork, but are optional. If using, nestle them around the pork in the Dutch oven. Add the liquid: Pour the liquid and liquid smoke (if using) over the top of the pork. The pork should be only partially submerged, with some of the pork remaining above the surface of the liquid. Bring to a simmer: Set the Dutch oven with the pork over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover and transfer to the oven: Once simmering, cover the Dutch oven and transfer the whole pot to the oven. Cook for 2 to 4 hours, until fork tender: Let the pork cook undisturbed for 2 hours, then begin checking it every half hour. Total cooking time will be 2 to 4 hours, depending on the amount of pork and whether it's bone-in (which takes longer to cook). The pork is done when it is fork-tender (when the meat can be easily pierced with a fork without resistance and easily falls apart with a little pressure). If you're cooking pork on the bone, the meat should be falling off the bone. If in doubt, cook the meat another half hour; it's almost impossible to overcook meat with this method. Transfer the pork to a large bowl: Lift the pieces of pork out of the liquid and transfer to a large mixing bowl. When cool enough to handle, use two forks or your fingers to shred the meat into pieces. Remove any large pieces of fat or bones. Strain the cooking liquid: Strain the cooking liquid into a measuring cup. The vegetables can be chopped and mixed in with the pork, if desired. Skim the fat off the top of the cooking liquid. Moisten the pork with cooking liquid or barbecue sauce (optional): For more moist and flavorful pulled pork, you can mix some of the cooking liquid back into the pork. Start with a little, mix, then add more until the pork is as wet or dry as you like. Alternatively, for barbecue pulled pork, you can mix in barbecue sauce. Here's the link: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-and-shred-a-pork-shoulder-for-pulled-pork-79485 I didn't use liquid smoke.
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triciae
13 years ago
Welcome to the CF!

I love pulled pork, carnitas, and tortilla soup. SC vinegar-based pork - not so much. lol

I think I'd try making a spice powder by dry frying three ancho and a couple pasilla chilis in a cast iron skillet (you could first seed them if you don't want much heat). After frying for 1-2 min. per side cover in boiling water and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Add the chilis and their steeping water to a blender and add a teaspoon, or two, of cumin and whirl until very well blended. Add this mixture to your pulled pork and put back in slow cooker for a couple hours for the flavors to blend.

I don't think this will mask the strong vinegar entirely but it should go a long ways to changing the overall profile of the pork. A little fresh cilantro at the end will help also.

Would love to hear if you try this how it works.

/tricia
edeevee
Original Author
13 years ago
Mmmm, tricia, that sounds good! Do you think using chicken broth instead of water for steeping would help mask/change the vinegar taste even more?
User
13 years ago
Edeevee, Welcome to the CF. I hope you find participating is much more fun than lurking.

I love carnitas, but I do have to tell you that I wouldn't like pulled pork with vinegar and sugar in a tortilla. Not sure if it would be possible to get rid of the vinegar taste even with the addition of cumin and topped with a salsa.

When I serve carnitas in corn tortillas, I top mine with homemade salsa, a sprig or two of cilantro and I also serve a small wedge of lime to squeeze over the meat. I wonder if the lime would cancel out the vinegar?

I think I would be more tempted to make more pulled pork sandwiches than to try and turn it into "Mexican".

~Ann
cookie8
13 years ago
Cumin and garlic (probably in powder form if it's already cooked) always works for me.
edeevee
Original Author
13 years ago
ann_t, I hesitate to try anything that doesn't have your seal of approval. You are amazing! I do think I want to try this though -- and I'll definitely go heavy on the lime. I think I'lll prepare some beef too, just in case.

cookie8, I love cumin and garlic. The way you say it sounds so positive. It gives me hope :)
colleenoz
13 years ago
We love leftover pulled pork in quesadillas. I doubt it's anywhere near "authentic", but awfully good :-)
Cathy_in_PA
13 years ago
Congrats on the "very close" pulled pork! It's always nice to have a written recipe to correlate with a success.

I just wanted to let you know that I usually make shredded pork in the crockpot with just a dry rub. It's kind of a blank canvas to take whatever I need to use it for later, as a base for enchiladas, barbecue or whatever. I also divide plain and freeze.

In any event, this is the rub that I use from Cooking Light:

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
Ã¢ÂÂ¢ 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
Ã¢ÂÂ¢ 1 tablespoon chili powder
Ã¢ÂÂ¢ 1 teaspoon salt
Ã¢ÂÂ¢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
Ã¢ÂÂ¢ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Ã¢ÂÂ¢ 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Ã¢ÂÂ¢ 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
Ã¢ÂÂ¢ 1 (5-pound) boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed

I use water, couple splashes of vinegar, and a splash of (I'll probably get flamed for saying I use this) liquid smoke for braising liquid. Cook to 190 degrees, shred and put just enough (strained/defatted) braising liquid to keep moist.

Cathy in SWPA
edeevee
Original Author
13 years ago
Colleen, is the pulled pork you use sweet and vinegar-y? I'm trying to imagine all these flavors together but my brain keeps saying carnitas should taste "like this". Stupid brain.
Cathy, I've used a similar rub then cooked low and slow in the oven. The taste was good but my roast ended up dry. What did I do wrong?
As for the Liqiuid Smoke, there's something about that flavor that doesn't do it for me, although my husband and brother in law are okay with it. Adding real cut up smoked pork (chops) gave it that authentic taste w/o having to use the liquid stuff or actually do the smoking.

Semi-related story: When we were newlyweds we lived next to my new sister in law. Imagine Martha Stewart with a southern accent, black hair and startling blue eyes. She was so perfect that it was intimidating - the way she kept her home, the way she looked, everything - but especially her cooking. Everything she made was delicioius, and there I was next door, only knowing how to cook hot dogs, hamburgers, frozen pizza and tacos. I had a taste for sloppy joes one day - which we called bar b q sandwiches in my family. I called up the sil and asked, "How do you make bar b q?" To which she answered, "Well, first you dig a pit ..." I've been trying to perfect NC barbeque ever since then (without having to dig anything, lol).

In other news, my son, his girlfriend and one of their friends stopped by on Sunday so I have WAY LESS leftovers to screw up.

Thank you all for your help!
foodonastump
13 years ago
Well it sounds like you made it on Friday at the latest and today is Wednesday so I say there's only one option for what you've got left! Thanks for the recipe, I may well give it a try next time but in the oven. I'm guessing the slow cooker doesn't produce much bark?
edeevee
Original Author
13 years ago
Bark? Well, my dog liked it, if that's what you mean ;)
Cathy_in_PA
13 years ago
I'm smiling, edeevee. You just need a son and friends and whoosh ~ "we can take care of that pork for you." I'm way beyond a newlywed status, and your sister-in-law intimidates me:) BTW, I'm going to look into the smoked pork chops -- that's a really good idea.

Full disclosure: It's my unfortunate curse that I have to make a choice between moist pork/no bark in nesco roaster/slow cooker or drier pork/great bark in oven. If I'm lucky enough to make it work in the oven, it's a toss up whether I can replicate it next time. Because I'm okay with this life limitation:) I just go slow cooker, 190 - 200 degrees, rest, shred and moisten with braising liquid.

Glad your leftovers were taken care of and good luck refining your research/results -- I'm sure your son and his friends will be willing participants:)

Cathy in SWPA

Pulled Pork to Carnitas

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Pulled Pork to Carnitas

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