Leftover Turkey "Carnitas" Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to keep carnitas from drying out? ›

Another alternative is to add a bit extra water and then cook off the water when you're ready to serve. The advantage is that you'll preserve most of the flavours that way and also have fresh-from-the-stove carnitas.

And avocado tomatillo salsa. That's a great salsa for pork. Avocado tomatillo salsa is a nice addition to loaded carnitas tacos but it's great on burgers and sandwiches too. Boil 2 or 3 tomatillos with a bit of jalapeño and a clove of garlic.

Making a big batch of carnitas is a great way to feed a crowd. Boneless pork butt loses about half of its weight during the cooking process. For a party, you want to plan for about ⅓-1/2 pound of pulled pork per person.

The traditional way to cook a pork shoulder for carnitas is in enough lard to immerse the meat—depending on how much pork is being cooked, it can be gallons of lard. The method of cooking things immersed in fat is known in French as confit (pronounced kon-FEE).

In other regions of Mexico, people add their own special seasoning to this dish, such as condensed milk, garlic, chicken broth, co*ke, orange juice, and/or beer. Not only do these ingredients give the carnitas their distinctive golden-brownish color, but they also help tenderize the meat.

Reheat pork in a covered dish in the oven, microwave, or pan/skillet. Oven: Preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add some water or broth to an oven-safe pan. Place the leftover pork in the pan and then cover with aluminium foil and reheat for 15 to 20 minutes (this is dependent on the size).

Most Mexicans eat their carnitas in tacos, although this may vary depending on the state. What all Mexicans seem to agree on is that carnitas is better consumed with sauces and condiments. Cilantro, onion, cheese, lime and “pico de gallo” are some of the usual additions to your carnitas taco.

You can use corn or flour (we love corn, but that's up to you). Gently heat the tortillas before serving. TRICK: Turn on your grill or gas burner, and quickly heat them over the heat. You'll get a little char and warm them just enough, but don't over do it, or they will dry out!

The name "Al Pastor" translates to "In the style of the shepherd" in English. This dish has its roots in Lebanese shawarma, which was brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants.

What is the best fat for carnitas? ›

For the most part, carnitas are braised, slow roasted, or stewed in lard. At Dos Gordos we do them a little bit differently. We use two types of fat to cook ours — pork fat and the difference maker, rendered duck fat.

Traditional Carnitas

Trim away some of the excess fat from the pork butt, then cut it into 3-inch chunks.

Carnitas, carne asada, and al pastor are all authentic Mexican dishes. Carnitas is made with pork that has been braised or slow-cooked until it's fork-tender. Carne asada is made with beef that has been grilled to perfection. Al pastor is made with pork that has been grilled and then sliced off the spit.

If the meat is easily pulled apart with a fork, it's done. If the meat is still tough and hasn't gone tender, it needs more braising time. Add a bit more water at a time and continue simmering until it reaches a tender texture.

Also known as carnitas in Guatemala, these refer to a meatier part of the pork rind. Where a chicharrón is, strictly speaking, skin and fat, carnitas denotes skin with some meat as well. (In other places, carnitas generally refers to fried pork meat without skin or a stew-like dish made from it.)

Overcooked pork can turn into a dry and tough mess. Once the meat is cooked beyond its optimal temperature, it loses most of its natural moisture and becomes dry and tasteless. The texture of the meat changes, and it becomes stringy and tough.

Cooked the carnitas too long trying to get it crispy and it dried out? Moisten them back up by adding the pork broth that you cooked the carnitas in initially and let it sit at least 20-30 minutes to rehydrate.

Try brine: Choose a wet marinade rather than a dry one. Dry rubs may work fine but brine or a wet rub will add that extra moisture along with the flavor that will penetrate deep inside the meat. Keep a spray bottle handy: Keep spraying the meat during smoking or reheating to replace the lost moisture.

To reheat, thaw out in the fridge then cook in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat, covered for 5-7 minutes. You can add a little water to the pan to add a little more moisture back to the carnitas if needed, but I don't usually have to do this.