Carnitas

Ben Salinas, Serves 4-6

Adapted from Serious Eats

• 2 medium onions
• 2 jalapeño peppers, split in half lengthwise, stem removed
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 3-5 dried chipotle peppers
• 3 pounds boneless pork butt (shoulder), rind removed, cut into 2-inch cubes
• Kosher salt
• 1 medium orange
• 6 cloves garlic, split in half
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken into three or four pieces
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 275 degrees.

In a small saucepan, boil the chipotle peppers for 15-20 minutes to rehydrate them. Save the water.

Season pork chunks with 1 tablespoon salt and place in a 9 by 13 glass casserole dish. The pork should fill the dish with no spaces.

Split orange into quarters and squeeze juice over pork. Nestle squeezed orange pieces into casserole.

Quarter the onions and mince the jalapeños and rehydrated chipotle peppers. Add them to the pork along with the garlic, bay leaves, cinnamon stick.

Nestle everything into an even layer. Pour vegetable oil over surface. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven. Cook until pork is fork tender, about 3 1/2 hours.

Set large fine-meshed strainer 1 quart liquid measure or bowl. Using tongs, remove orange peel, onion, garlic, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves from pork. Shred pork into large chunks with fingers or two forks. Season to taste with salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve: Place casserole dish with pork 4-inches under a high broiler and broil until brown and crisp on surface, about 6 minutes. Remove pork, stir with a spoon to expose new bits to heat, and broil again for 6 more minutes until crisp. Tent with foil to keep warm.