Recipes by their Ingredients

pork shoulder

  • Carnitas

    Carnitas
    Carnitas
    (Serves 12-15)

    3-5lb pork butt or shoulder, cut into 5" chunks
    4-6 cups orange juice
    10 cloves garlic, whole
    6 bay leaves
    1 tblsp coriander seeds
    1 tblsp salt
    1 tsp cinnamon
    1 onion, cut in ¼'s
    1-2 cups shortening or lard (optional)
    1 tblsp cumin, ground
    1 tblsp Tony Chachere's Cajun Spice


    NOTES: Almost any liquid can be used, some recipes I have seen use cola as the sweetener others use chicken stock, be creative after you try it once this way! Also you can substitute Tony's for some granulated garlic, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.

    Coat the pork butt/shoulder chunks in Tony's Cajun Spice and put at the bottom of large pot along with the onions, garlic, bay leaves, coriander seeds, salt, cinnamon and cumin.

    Now pour in the Orange juice, if your using shortening or lard put it in now and with using some cold water until it covers the rest of the pork butts by an inch.

    Turn the burner onto medium and when it reaches a boil, lower it to a simmer, for about 3 hours.

    Preheat the oven for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. When the Carnitas are done turn off the pot, and with a pair of tongs remove the meat to a baking sheet pan/cookie tray, smoosh the pieces of pork down a little if they didn't already break up upon removal of the pot of liquids and discard any other solids like the bay leaves.
    Place in the oven for about 20 minutes or until they gained a nice crisp.

    Serve over soft shell tacos with cheese and salsa - YUM!

    Stores in the fridge for 3 days, in the freezer, 4 months! Enjoy!

  • Hot Italian Sausage

    Hot Italian Sausage
    Hot Italian Sausage
    (Serves)

    4 ½ lbs boneless pork shoulder/butt, diced large
    8 oz pork fat
    3 tblsp kosher salt
    2 tblsp sugar
    2 tblsp toasted fennel seed
    1 tblsp toasted coriander seed
    3 tblsp Hungarian paprika
    1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
    4 tblsp fresh oregano leaves, minced
    4 tblsp fresh basil leaves, minced
    3 tblsp hot red pepper flakes
    2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
    ¾ cup ice water
    1/4 cup red wine vinegar, chilled


    NOTES: This is a Michael Ruhlman/Brian Polcyn recipe from their book Charcuterie "The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing".
     

    Combine all ingredients except water and vinegar, toss and let chill until ready to grind.

    Grind the mix through a small die into a chilled bowl.

    In mixer, using a paddle attachment, mix for about 1 minute on medium speed until a uniform sticky appearance. (Or you can manually use a wooden spoon).

    Make a small patty and and saute, taste and adjust seasoning in necessary.

    Proceed to stuff into casings or pat out into patties. Fresh sausage will keep three days in the refrigerator up to 3 months in the freezer.