This carnitas recipe comes from our friend Kitty. She cooked it up for a group of us one night, and the flavor blew us away.
We served our dish with a homemade fruit salsa, given to me today by our friend Debra. Great job Debra…now we can rave about your fruit salsa in addition to your incredibly moving and timeless photographs!
In the fruit salsa are strawberries, mango, mint and onions. The onions taste as if they were marinated in something and we aren’t sure what it is, but whatever it is….it works! The fruit salsa couldn’t have come at a better time. It was perfect with the carnitas.
Enjoy!

Carnitas

3 Lbs. pork shoulder (Boston Butt)
juice of one orange
1/2 cup milk
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic
1 onion
2 cups chicken stock
generous lard, bacon fat, or oil (we used olive oil, not much)
oregano, to taste
thyme, to taste
Chicago seasoning or something smoky (we used smoky paprika)
Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, to taste (use more than you think you would)

Cut pork into 2 x 2 squares and brown in fat. Add onion and garlic and brown slightly. Add stock, orange juice, milk, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper, and water to barely almost cover. Cover and cook at 350 F. for 3.5 – 5 hours (check after 2.5).
Remove when liquid level is low and meat is falling apart. Shred meat and toss with generous helping of Frank’s Red Hot sauce. Serve with soft tortillas, salsa (fresh tomato, onion, lime and cilantro), sliced avocado and sour cream.