Rainy day? Football party? Relaxing at home? Why not spend the day creating a one-of-a-kind afternoon treat for you and your family? With just a few simple items, you can create a delightful afternoon snack to please an entire group of people.
First things first, you will need a smoker. Nowadays there are many options to choose from for smokers and they vary by ease of use, price, and cleanliness. To be blunt, you can’t typically choose to have all three of the aforementioned variables when choosing a smoker (cheap, clean, and easy). You will need to decide what matters most to you before you decide to invest in a smoker.
I’ve personally decided to choose “easy” as my focal point when purchasing a smoker. I went with a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker that can be found at Walmart for a little over $200. This particular smoker is very user-friendly and is fairly easy to clean. I also found that the price is reasonable compared to some other smokers. So, what’s the catch? Simply put, electric smokers just can’t produce the same smoke as true burners. That said, you can set your desired temperature and walk away without wondering if it will need more coals or more ventilation.
Once you have selected a smoker and completed set-up, the preparation ensues. You’ll need to select your cut of meat and the wood you’ll want to smoke with. My recommendation for flavorful carnitas is a basic pork butt or shoulder. ALDI actually sells a pre-seasoned pork shoulder if you really want life to be easy – I had a party of guests rave about it and it appears that others on Reddit concur with the quality of the meat. To start from scratch, you can use the following ingredients mixed and rubbed onto the pork:
- pork shoulder or butt
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 jalapeno diced/minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
The nice thing about these recipes is that you can adjust them to your liking. I tend to enjoy a bit of a kick on my tacos so I always add more pepper. If you are a salt person, a little Lawry’s seasoned salt could be a nice touch. In any case, you will want to season your meat at least 24 hours prior to smoking it, so that it essentially “brines” the meat. This will help give you a nice finish on the outside of the meat.
Another critical component of smoking pork is choosing the right wood. I have been on a kick with using mesquite flavored wood chips. There are endless options including apple, hickory, cherry, oak, and more. The mesquite chips tend to really set into the meat with my smoker, so I have been using it regularly for the last 5-6 batches I have made. That said, try to imagine a hint of the above flavors on your carnitas and choose accordingly. There is no right or wrong wood, just preference.
Now, let the fun begin! To cook your carnitas to perfection, you’ll want to make sure you have at least eight hours of cooking time. I’ll typically aim to keep my smoker at 225 degrees until my pork reaches an internal temperature of 195 degrees. Your cooking time will technically depend on the size of your pork cut, which tends to be somewhere around six to ten hours at 225 degrees. The rule of thumb is roughly two hours per pound of meat for pork shoulders. You can cook your meat above 225 degrees; however, most people will agree that the flavor is better the lower and slower you can cook the meat. Good things come to those who wait. With an electric smoker, you will need to continue adding wood chips every hour or so to maintain smoke production. A traditional smoker should be able to rely on the same coals for a while longer.
Another key to making delicious smoked carnitas is to make sure the meat stays moist. To ensure this, I wrap the meat in foil after the meat is halfway done, usually about 4 hours in. If I have any juice from the sauce I made, I will put that in the bottom of the foil to let the meat soak in the flavor. I tend to wrap the foil loosely so that the smoke can still get to the meat but none of the juices can drip from the meat. This is a trick I use with anything I smoke, including ribs, bratwurst, or whole chicken.
You can consider toppings to compliment the flavor as your carnitas develop. I’ve tried a fresh homemade salsa with extra cilantro once and a vinegar-based jalapeño slaw another time. Both mixed well with the savory flavor of the carnitas. I always aim for toppings that are a little sweet and spicy to help create as much flavor as possible. Be sure not to make your toppings too early in the day or they may get soggy.
The final step before enjoying your delicious carnitas is to let the meat cool. After hours of anticipation, you’ll want to keep your pork covered to cool for about an hour. I’ve skipped this step before and it doesn’t take much away from the flavor, but they meat isn’t quite as easy to shred. At 195 degrees and properly cooled, it should fall apart with minimal effort. So my best advice is to let it cool, prep your topping(s), and prepare to have a delightful treat no matter the occasion.
by Thomas Barnett