Carnitas

I have noticed a trend since we started the ketogenic diet. Whenever we are short of time or feel too tired to cook dinner, we get a burrito bowl from either Chipotle or Qdoba.  It is very convenient and fits in the macros  well.

Although this maybe…… happens once a week,  it is getting old really fast and is not good for our wallet.  So, I decided to make a big portion of meat which would last at least 8 meals and will make similar “burrito bowls”

I had a pork shoulder in my freezer which I had bought a couple of weeks ago.Since the weight was around 4 lbs,  I decided to make Carnitas, which are basically slow roasted little bites of meat. I used a dry rub and a marinade to make my Carnitas,  which may sound a bit odd, but follow along and you will be surprised at the deliciousness it will whip up. This combination of rub and marinade can be used with chicken and beef as well.

Ingredients:

3 lbs of pork shoulder

1 cup of warm water

Ingredients you will need for the rub:

11/2 tablespoon of cumin

1 tablespoon of smoked paprika

1 tablespoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 teaspoon of dried thyme or a few sprigs of thyme

1 ½ tablespoon of salt

1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

Blend the ingredients below to get the marinade

3 adobo chilies in sauce

3 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

Preparation:

Pat dry the meat and make ½ inch deep slits all over the meat specially on the fat side.

Coat the meat thoroughly all over with the dry rub and leave it on the counter for 30 mins.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

After 30 mins are up, massage the meat with the wet marinade and transfer it in a baking dish and add the warm water from the sides so as to not wash away the spices.

 Cover the dish with heavy duty aluminum foil (if using regular aluminum foil, double cover).

Roast it covered in the oven for 3 hours; then remove the foil cover and roast it for another 20 mins at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Let it rest for at least 15 mins before cutting or shredding the meat.

Enjoy!