Paleo Carnitas Street Tacos

Definition of Carnitas

From Epicurious.com

carnitas[kahr-NEE-tahz]
Mexican for “little meats,” this dish is simply small bits or shreds of well browned pork. It’s made from an inexpensive cut of pork that’s simmered in a small amount of water until tender, then finished by cooking the pieces in pork fat until nicely browned all over.

In 2005 I took a trip to Mexico and I looked forward to devouring the local cuisine. As it turned out my ecologically pristine resort was the only structure for miles. The resort hosted a lot of Canadians and I wonder if that is why they tried to cook American/Canadian types of food everyday. The food was edible but definitely not anything to get excited about. During my week-long visit they only prepared authentic Mexican food ONE night. When I boarded the airplane to come home I was sad because I didn’t get the week-long authentic Mexican feast I was hoping for.

The Best Paleo Tortilla

I wrote this article years ago for my former blog. Moving it to Jen’s Primal Health it is a reminder of my paleo journey. In 2005 I definitely did not follow the paleo diet. In the original article I posted with locally made tortillas and the second was with organic corn tortillas. Today I could eat either but the reaction wouldn’t be worth it. Grains always make my joints swell and hurt the following day. I’ve conducted this n=1 experiment more times than I’d like to admit over the last 2+ years and the result is always the same.

So how does someone like me use this recipe when traditional tortillas are off of the table? I’ve tried the cassava flour tortillas and those made from arrowroot but they always turn into a bowling ball that gets lodged inside my system. Then I discovered Robb Wolf’s recipe for tortillas made from 1 ingredient: plantains. As you can see from the photo they are amazing! My only advice is to boil the plantains for the time suggested in the recipe. I boiled them too long once and it did not turn out well. Yes, that is a tamale I made from the tortilla recipe. I’m currently working out the details but the first attempt was a success. To use plantains to make tortillas they have to be green or have a green tinge somewhere. When they turn yellow with spots then I recommend looking for one of those brownie or dessert recipes that uses ripe plantains.

What if you don’t want to go into the plantain smashing business? Siete makes paleo tortilla wraps that are sold in the refrigerator/freezer section of many health food stores. The cassava tortillas have a similar texture to wheat tortillas. I’m one of those people who cassava doesn’t work for so I buy the almond flour tortillas.

Creating a Carnita Recipe

I’m not Mexican and growing up in Ohio I always wanted to like Mexican food but it simply wasn’t good. When I moved to Colorado I took myself out for a Mexican feast and I found the nirvana I had always been looking for. Looking for a guide on how to make carnitas I found a recipe that called for a 4 pound boneless pork shoulder roast and a cooking time of 10 hours. Ten hours are perfect if you’re going to cook them while you are at work but I know many have trouble planning ahead; this is why fast-food is so popular in our society.

Playing with the recipe I used half as much pork shoulder that I cut into 1″ cubes. Reducing the amount of pork and cutting it into cubes creates much more flavor. If you do not have an Instant pot or pressure cooker the high setting on a crock-pot will create very tender pork that falls apart in only 4 hours.  Simmering this dish on the stove covered with a lid will also work. One of the great things about this recipe is that pork becomes more tender the longer it cooks. I’m not saying to cook it for 24 hours but a few extra hours on either setting definitely won’t ruin your dish.

A 2 pound package of stew meat fed my husband and I carnitas tacos on two separate occasions. We didn’t make any side dishes just tacos. For those who do not eat pork this recipe also works well for chicken. I’m not sure how authentic this recipe is but I think it is a pretty good match to the carnitas I love so much. I definitely believe this could be an inexpensive dish for a larger family if rice or even a salad were included as a side dish.

Buying Pork

Knowing your source is important because factory farms don’t have the best reputation for how they treat pigs, or other animals for that matter. In a supermarket the terms “free-range” and “natural” have little significance when it comes to quality.  When it comes to buying pork I recommend buying from either a farmers market or a local butcher shop where you can ask questions about the raising of the pig. Being able to ask questions is your best assurance that you’re getting what you’re paying for unless you decide to hunt a wild hog. Wild hog is hands down the best pork I have EVER eaten.

Originally posted on February 27, 2017 @ 11:24

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