Make this Tuesday “Taco Tuesday” with Sodexo’s recipe for Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas. Throw your ingredients into a crock pot in the a.m. and come home to a slow cooker full of delicious carnitas begging to be wrapped up in a tortilla and topped off with a fresh, homemade salsa. Store any leftovers in the freezer and save up for another Tuesday celebration.
Portions: 2 (6-serving) dinners
Serving: 357 grams
Ingredients:
- 4 pounds pork tenderloin, each tenderloin cut in half
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup orange juice
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons salt-free chile powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1 to 2 jalapeños (optional)
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes in their puree
For serving with each dinner:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup chopped radishes
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 chopped scallions
- 2 limes, each one quartered
- 1 avocado, mashed (optional)
- 24 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
Directions:
- In large slow cooker, add pork tenderloin pieces and chopped onion, along with orange juice, garlic, chile powder, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Stir together and cover. Cook until tender, on low heat 8 to 10 hours, or high heat 4 to 5 hours. Using 2 forks, shred meat into pieces. Combine with cooking liquid.
- Before serving, make salsa: In food processor, add scallions, onion and jalapeños. Pulse about 30 seconds to 1 minute until finely chopped. Add canned tomatoes and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; puree.
- To serve, place garnishes on platter: radishes, cilantro, scallions, limes and avocado. Serve half the meat and half the salsa with warm tortillas and let everyone assemble their own carnitas.
- When extra meat has cooled, transfer both the meat and salsa into separate airtight containers and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw both in refrigerator day before serving. Heat pork on stovetop in heavy-duty small pot, adding 1/4 cup water, if needed, so meat doesn’t dry out while reheating.
