Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork) without a slow cooker

This Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork) recipe uses the traditional way of slow cooking without any special kitchen gadget involved. Enjoy every shred of tender, juicy meat packed with delicious flavors.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 kilogram pork shoulder (- skin removed, but not the fat)
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon peppercorn
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion (- chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (- crushed)
• 1 jalapeno (or other hot pepper - chopped)
• 1 orange (- juiced)
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons oil ( - for frying)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Wash and pat dry the pork.
2. 2Grind together the dried oregano, cumin, peppercorn, and salt. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in olive oil to make the rub. Rub this all over the pork.
3. 3Place the pork in a pot with lid. Add the chopped onions, garlic, jalapeno, orange juice, and water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once it starts to boil, lower the temperature to low and slow cook for several hours (3-4 hours) or until meat becomes really tender and can easily be pulled apart.
4. 4Remove meat from the pot and let it cool off a bit. Take 2 forks to shred the meat. Set aside the remaining sauce from the pan. This can be used for extra seasoning later. You can also refrigerate the Carnitas for later or next day consumption. Just make sure you cover it so it will not dry out in the fridge.
5. 5Fry the Carnitas before serving. In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Place the shredded pork evenly and fry for 2-3 minutes without stirring. Drizzle about 5 tablespoons of the leftover sauce over the shredded meat and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until bottom side is slightly browned and crusty and all the sauce are gone. Turn off the heat and turn the meat to warm the other side through.