Pork Carnitas

Originally I found a recipe for pork carnitas on Pinterest and decided to give it a try.  Upon taking it out of the oven I tasted the pork and was disappointed to find that it was pretty bland.  Even the juice didn't have a lot of flavor to it.  Not wanting to serve up a bland and boring dinner I decided to add my own touches and came up with a deliciously flavorful and moist combination that we all loved!  I even got the head nod and raised eyebrows from the Hubby .  That means he really liked them :).  This recipe is different from other pork recipes I have tried in the past because they are flavored with oranges and limes.  The result was a sweet, citrus flavor.  Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!.  Might I suggest though, that you squeeze some fresh lime and orange juice onto the meat before eating?  Hope you enjoy these as much as we did!



Pork Carnitas

1-2 lb pork roast
1/2 sweet onion, halved
1 orange, halved and separated
1 lime, halved and separated
2 cups water
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 cup sugar
salt
pepper

Directions:

Heat oven to 300 degrees.  In a dutch oven or other oven safe dish, place the pork roast.  Rub with salt and pepper.  Juice 1/2 of orange over the roast and place the peel into the pan.  Also add the juice of 1/2 lime.  Place the onion into the pan and add water, cumin, an oregano.  Cover pan tightly and cook for 2-2 1/2 hours until the pork with easily fall apart.  Break the roast up into several small sections and remove from the pan.

Transfer the juices to a pot and bring to a boil.  Boil down until liquid is reduced by about half.  Add the zest and juice of 1/2 of an orange and 1/2 of a lime, along with 1/4 cup white sugar.  Boil until the sugar is dissolved then remove from heat.  Add the pork into the pan with the sauce and stir to coat.

Meanwhile, turn the oven to Broil.  When heated, place the pork on a foil or parchment lined pan in a single layer and place under the broiler.  When the meat is browned around the edges remove from the oven.  If there is any leftover sauce, mix it with the pork again.

Serving suggestion:  Place in a warm corn tortilla and serve with fresh lime and orange juice along with your favorite toppings.