Easy Pork Carnitas and Beer Margaritas
I remember walking into the backyard of my husband’s childhood home for the very first time. It was late spring and hot on a sunny afternoon. The picnic table was covered in a vinyl tablecloth and every square inch of it was loaded down in salads and bowls of chips, platters of watermelon and veggie trays.
The yard was set up with ladder golf and lawn chairs formed a circle around a fire pit. Coolers lined up against the house were filled with cold beer and bottled water, and music floated over the sound of happy voices, talking and laughing.
As afternoon gave way to evening, the yard filled with family and friends, eating and talking, sitting around the fire late into the night.
In the 15 years I’ve been a part of their family, I can tell you, their backyard parties are the absolute best. Considering my husband is one of five siblings, they’ve had a lot of practice as they’ve celebrated high school and college graduations, engagements, bridal showers, birthday parties, baby showers and anniversaries over the years. I can’t wait until we can all gather together again, hopefully very very soon.
In the spirit of backyard gatherings, I have two recipes for you. One is a beer margarita. My mother-in-law handed me one that very first barbecue and it’s been one of my favorite drinks ever since.
Fair warning: This recipe makes a big pitcher and is meant to be shared, so don’t panic when you see the quantities it calls for.
The other is an easy pork carnitas recipe. Pork butt is braised in beer and orange juice with a hint of smoky sweetness. This is an easy recipe to throw in the oven or a crock pot and easily adaptable for the Instant Pot.
Serve with slices of avocado, a dollop of sour cream and your favorite salsa for a crowd-pleasing meal.
Pork Carnitas
5 pounds boneless pork butt, cut into large chunks
1 yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon chili pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon oregano
Juice of an orange
Juice of a lime
12 ounce mild-flavored beer (Corona or Coors light)
In a large dutch oven, Instant Pot or Crock Pot combine all the ingredients. Give the pork a gentle stir to combine everything together.
If cooking in the oven, place lid on pot and cook in a 300-degree oven for about 4 hours until the pork is cooked through and starting to fall apart on its own. In a slow cooker, this will take about 8 hours on low or in an Instant Pot somewhere around 90 minutes. My best recommendation is to do a quick google search on cooking time related to the specific weight of meat you have. If the meat isn’t falling apart tender with a fork, keep cooking and checking it every 20 minutes or so.
When the meat is falling apart and shreds easily with a fork, it’s done. Turn heat off or remove from oven.
Line a cookie sheet with tin foil. Remove cooked pork from oven and using two forks, shred the meat. Pour a few tablespoons of the sauce from the pot over the meat. Turn the oven to broil (550 degrees) and cook the meat for an additional 15 minutes, stirring and turning the meat several times. You can also crank your Traegar grill on high and crisp up the meat on the smoker for a little additional flavor.
The meat should have brown crispy edges and the liquid should be dissolved. Remove from oven and make tacos, burrito bowls, nachos or enchiladas. Serve with black beans, salsa, avocado, shredded cheese and pickled onions or jalapeños for an extra kick.
Beer Margaritas
2 12-ounce Mexican beers such as Corona, Modelo or Pacifico
1 can frozen limeade concentrate
12 ounces tequila
3 limes, sliced
Ice
Fill a large pitcher halfway with ice. Stir in ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon. To serve, fill glasses halfway with ice. Pour margaritas into glasses filled with ice and garnish with fresh lime slices.
For a slushy version of this drink, simply blend ingredients in a blender with lots of ice. Enjoy!