(Not So) Secret Pomegranate Carnitas

This is the way I ate my carnitas: on a tortilla smothered in goat cheese.

 The truth is, I'd rather share the recipe than hoard it.  That's why I'm calling them (Not So) Secret Carnitas, rather than my initial inclination to call them Secret Carnitas.  The secret ingredients are mentioned in the directions, but not on the ingredients list.  I was inspired to create this recipe after working with the Chevy's Cookbook recipe several times.  They use Pepsi, I'm using sprite for a lighter and more fruity flavor.  They use OJ, and I am using several different juices.  The method is the same.  Anyway, enough with the explanations, here's the goods:

Ingredients:

-1 lb pork butt or shoulder

-2 cloves garlic, chopped

-2 or 3 teaspoons paprika

-a pinch of cayenne

-salt & pepper

-1L of Sprite or maybe more, get a 2L bottle

-1/2 cup orange juice

-3 squirts lemon juice

-2 or 3 pomegranates

-3 tablespoons of shortening

Directions:

1. Cut the pork into cubes.  Remove the excess fat.

2. Combine paprika, cayenne, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Toss the pork cubes in this mixture.

3. Pour in about 2 cups of sprite, the OJ, and the LJ.  Squeeze the juice of two pomegranates into the bowl.  Strain the juice through your (clean) hands so the skin doesn't get in there.  Let the seeds in though.  Stir.  Cover the bowl and marinate it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

4.  When you are ready, take the pork out of the fridge.  Heat the shortening in a large pot until it starts smoking.  Then (carefully) put the pork into the shortening, reserving the marinade.

5. Brown the pork in the shortening for fifteen minutes.

6. Pour the reserved marinade into the pot.  Stir and then simmer for 2 hours.  (I know, it takes a long time, but it's worth it.)  

7. Cover with additional sprite, and add pomegranate juice as needed to cover.  *Psst: you can also add little bit of honey or sugar once everything gets cookin'!

8.When the pork is ready it will be dark and very moist.  It should sort of fall apart when you get ahold of it.  

9.To serve, warm a tortilla in a tiny bit of oil and heap a couple of pork pieces on top.  I spread *goat cheese on my yellow corn tortilla and layered the carnitas on top of that. The perfect taco?  Could be.  You could add whatever condiments you want.  Oh yeah.

Easy Pozole

Pozole cannot get any easier than this:

Ingredients:
-2 ancho chilies, dried
-2 or 3 gloves of garlic, depending on how you like it
-1/2 onion (I love onion! You can use less)
-1 or 2 tomatoes (optional)
-1 can of white hominy
-Leftover meat that you can shred (pork or chicken work best)
-Salt, paprika and oregano to taste
-Olive oil or veggie oil

1. Cut open ancho chilies and use gloves to take out the seeds. You can use spicier chilies if you want, but I like 'em mild. Stick them in a pot of hot water (enough to cover) and simmer them until their soft.
2. While you're waiting for the chilies to soften, chop up some garlic, onions and tomatoes. Tomatoes don't come in traditional pozole but I think they are a good addition.
3. Heat up some veggie oil in a pot and sautee the onions and garlic.
4. Add a few pinches of oregano, salt, and paprika.
5. Throw in a few cans of broth (chicken, veggie, or whatever.)
6. Take a can of white hominy and the tomatoes, and stick them into pot with the broth.
7. By now, your chilies should be almost done. Toss the chilies (with the water they were cooked in) into a blender. Then toss that blended mix into the pot with the broth. Let that whole mix of goodies simmer for about twenty minutes.
8. Now shred your leftover chicken or pork (I used carnitas from last night) and put that in the pot, or leave it vegetarian. Let the pot simmer for a few minutes and you're done, unless you want to toppings. I used raw onions, but you can use shredded cabbage, radishes, cilantro, parsley, sour cream or whatever you want.