Slow-Cooked Citrus Pork Carnitas with Spicy Cabbage Slaw

Name: Slow-Cooked Citrus Pork Carnitas with Spicy Cabbage Slaw
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 pound pork shoulder (trimmed of excess fat); 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon salt; 0.5 teaspoon black pepper; 1 orange (large, juiced); 2 limes (juiced); 4 clove garlic (smashed); 0.5 cup chicken broth; 1 head green cabbage (small, thinly sliced); 1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced); 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped); 2 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon hot sauce (Whole30 compliant); 2 avocados (sliced); 1 head butter lettuce

Tender, succulent pork shoulder slow-cooked with a vibrant citrus and spice blend, then crisped to perfection, served with a zesty and spicy cabbage slaw.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 4 hr
Total: 4 hr 20 min
Servings: 6
Cuisine: Mexican
Difficulty: Medium
Cost: $3.86/serving

Dietary

Gluten-Free
Dairy-Free
Nut-Free
Soy-Free
Egg-Free
Paleo
High-Protein
Whole30
Low-Carb

Ingredients

3 pound pork shoulder (trimmed of excess fat)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
0.5 teaspoon black pepper
1 orange (large, juiced)
2 limes (juiced)
4 clove garlic (smashed)
0.5 cup chicken broth
1 head green cabbage (small, thinly sliced)
1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon hot sauce (Whole30 compliant)
2 avocados (sliced)
1 head butter lettuce

Instructions

Cut the pork shoulder into 2-inch chunks, removing any large pieces of excess fat. In a bowl, combine the ground cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork chunks.
Place the seasoned pork in the slow cooker. Pour the orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth over the pork. Add the smashed garlic cloves.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until the pork is very tender and easily shreds with a fork.
Once cooked, carefully remove the pork from the slow cooker, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Shred the pork using two forks and discard any remaining large pieces of fat.
Preheat oven broiler to high. Spread the shredded pork in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid.
Broil for 5-10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the edges of the carnitas are crispy and golden brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
While carnitas crisp, prepare the spicy cabbage slaw. In a large bowl, combine the green cabbage, red bell pepper, and fresh cilantro.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Pour the dressing over the slaw mixture and toss to combine.
Serve the crispy carnitas with the spicy cabbage slaw. Offer sliced avocado and butter lettuce cups on the side for a complete meal.

Notes

If you don't have a broiler, you can crisp the carnitas in a hot skillet on the stovetop with a little of the rendered fat.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 551
Protein: 49.8 g
Carbohydrates: 20.8 g
Fat: 29.3 g
Fiber: 6.6 g
Sodium: 706 mg
Saturated Fat: 9.8 g
Sugar: 10.6 g
Cholesterol: 132 mg