What's for Dinner?

[Guerrero]

Crispy Pork Carnitas

Ingredients:
4 lbs skinless, boneless pork butt or shoulder
3-4 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp dried oregano (or Mexican oregano)
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 large brown or white onion, cut into wedges
8 cloves garlic, smashed
2 limes, juiced
2 large oranges, juiced (or 3/4 cup natural orange juice)
3/4 cup Coke (Original or Mexican Coke is ideal)
2 bay leaves

Instructions:
Rinse and pat-dry pork with paper towels

In the bowl of a 6-quart slow-cooker, add pork, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, onion, garlic, lime juice, orange juice, Coke, and bay leaves.

Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8-10 hours, or high heat and 5-6 hours (until the meat falls apart)

Remove the pork and shred with two forks (DO NOT discard the liquid)

To crisp in the oven:
Transfer the pork to a baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking oil spray (or lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper).

Pour 1 ladle full (about 1 cup) of the liquid from the slow cooker over the pork to season. Broil for 5-10 minutes on high heat until the meat becomes golden browned and crispy on the edges.

I make tacos with the carnitas, lightly fried corn tortillas, some salsa, and some mashed avacado.

[Guerrero]

Add your own recipes below. I need some new ideas

[okie john]

Peach Salad

2-3 white meat peaches
2-3 yellow meat peaches
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Rinse the peaches. Leave the skins intact and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Mix the peaches plus everything else in a big bowl. Serve with grilled chicken or fish. Figure 1.5 peaches per adult.

Notes
1. Especially good with fish.
2. Don't make it unless peaches are ripe.
3. Put the leftovers in the fridge. They take on a darker, richer flavor the next day.
4. Keep it simple. You can add blackberries IF they're perfectly ripe. The lemon destroys raspberries.
5. You can use one color of peach, but using two makes it more visually interesting. Speaking of visuals, there is a lot going on here, so serve it on a white platter.
6. This recipe is super flexible. Basically just add everything to taste.


Okie John

[AKDoug]

Going all out for our 25th Anniversary tomorrow with us and 40 friends ..

Three 16 lb prime briskets going on the smoke this afternoon. 6 racks of St. Louis ribs tomorrow. I cool the briskets in a cooler on ice after they reach the "stall", wrapped in peach paper, and then finish them the last few hours before the party in the oven (gasp). You honestly can't tell the difference between doing it that way and just cooking one all the way through then serving.

I don't do anything special with the briskets. I'm a salt and pepper guy. I salt 12 hrs. before smoking, then pepper them right before they go on.

Ribs, I use a rub from AmazingRibs.com called Memphis Dust. It works really well.