One of my favorite Mexican dishes is pork carnitas. These “little bits” of cooked pork are delicious folded into a warm corn tortilla.
Ideally, cubes of pork are slow roasted so that they’re tender inside and a little crispy on the exterior. But, lazy me, I just throw hunks of pork shoulder in my slow cooker (*which is not the “real” Crock-Pot brand), add a little water-or sometimes beer-plus plenty of pure New Mexico Chile powder and other spices (garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, a pinch of oregano).
The results, a few hours later, are delicious. New Mexican chile powder is not fiercely hot at all, but just has a nice robust spiciness. This does throw off some fat, so be prepared to use a bulb baster to get rid of some of it before serving, or make it ahead, chill, and then easily lift off the fat that rises to the top and solidifies.
I picked up the pork shoulder at Whole Foods, and also grabbed some of their excellent guacamole and mango/pineapple salsa. And, of course the corn tortillas. (They are kept in the freezer case now, the clerk told me they arrive frozen anyway, and since I keep mine in the freezer at home, what the hey.)
Of course, you could use flour tortillas, but I really prefer the corn here. This is a great meal, really one of my favorite dishes, from any culture!
NJ SPICE 