Pork and ginger were just made for each other. They’re like one of those couples that are so different, but somehow just make sense. They bring out each other’s best side, just like what is happening in this recipe. Stem ginger and ginger beer have just the right amount of heat and sweetness to cut through rich pork shoulder. After a good two hour braise, the carnitas are falling apart and have perfectly sweet caramelized edges.
This recipe is great for entertaining! Braise the pork a day ahead, then when it’s time for company, shred it onto a sheet pan and pop it in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up.
Here’s what you need:
Equipment:
- Dutch Oven or heavy duty pot
- Tongs
- Wooden Spoon for sautéing
How to make carnitas:
This recipe can be broken down into 3 steps:
- Browning the meat
- Sautéing the aromatics
- Adding liquid, then braising
Cut the pork roast into smaller sections that are about 3-4 inches in size. You do this because it creates more surface areas on the pork, which are more areas that come in contact with the pan and brown.
Dry the smaller sections of pork very well with a paper towel, then sprinkle all sides generously with salt. Sear each side in preheated dutch oven. This step will take some time so be prepared to be at the stove for a little while, but it will pay off in the end.
If it seems crowded, cook the pork in batches to ensure good browning. If they are all too close to each other, they will steam and not brown.
Once the pieces of pork shoulder are browned all over, remove them from the pot and set them aside while you sauté your chilis and aromatics.
Sauté the onion and poblano for 4-5 minutes with a pinch of salt until they are tender. (You could also use hatch chilis in place of the poblano if they are available.) Next add the ginger and garlic sauté for a couple minutes more, until fragrant.
Make the braising liquid.
Add ginger beer, broth and bay leaf. Taste the braising liquid before putting the meat back in. This is important. If the braising liquid is bland, the carnitas will be bland. Give it a taste and add more salt if needed. (It will.)
Put the meat back in the pot, lower the heat and place the lid on. Braise for one and a half to two hours on a medium-low heat. I peek in at the hour mark and again at the one and a half mark just to see how well the sauce is reducing. When it is ready, the sauce will be lovely and thick and the carnitas will be falling apart at the very sight of a fork!
There are millions of ways to serve carnitas!
Here are some of my favorites:
- Big chunks of meat over steamed rice with Mango Sesame Slaw. or Mexican Slaw
- In tortillas with Roasted Green Chili and Tomatillo Salsa
- On slider buns with Perfect, Sticky Korean Barbecue Sauce
- On a healthy salad with Fresh Pineapple Salsa
My favorite thing to do with leftovers the next morning is make this carnitas, slaw and rice hash!
Heat some oil in a large pan and dump in a big scoop of rise. Press it evenly into the pan to crisp it up, then scoot it over to one side, add some carnitas and some leftover Mango Sesame Slaw. Sauté the whole thing together for a couple minutes until its hot and transfer to a bowl and top it with a sunny egg!
Other recipes to try:
Ginger Beer Braised Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork shoulder roast fat cap removed and cut into 6-8 cubes
- 1/2 large yellow onion or 1 medium onion diced
- 1 jalapeno seeded and diced
- 1 poblano seeded and diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 cup ginger beer
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add a couple tablespoons of oil. Use paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to dry the pieces of pork shoulder then generously season with salt, making sure to cover all sides. Sear each piece well on all sides, working in batches to ensure even browning. Remove pork and set aside. Turn the heat to medium. Sauté the onion, poblano and jalapeno for 3 to 4 minutes then add the garlic and ginger and sauté for a minute more. Add the ginger beer, broth and bay leaf. Taste the cooking liquid and add salt to taste. Put the pork back into the pot. Place the lid on and turn the heat to medium-low. Allow to braise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The liquid should be reduced down and should be thick and the meat should be carmelized and falling apart. Remove from the heat. Slice the pork on a cutting board or use two forks to shred it right in the sauce. Serve in warm tortillas or over rice.
Delicious flavor! We try to stick to a whole30 diet (with the exception of alcohol 😜) so we used iceberg lettuce to wrap these in and topped them with a pineapple and mango salsa! Soooooo good!!!