How to Make Pork Carnitas with Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 pounds pork shoulder (Boston Butt)
• ½ cup (120 grams) orange juice, unsweetened
• ¼ cup (40 grams) diced yellow onion
• 2 (6 grams) cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 teaspoon (2.5 grams) cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 batch Chimichurri sauce
• Salt to taste

1. Place the pork shoulder in a large Dutch oven or the heaviest pot you have. Fill the pot with 4 to 6 cups of water covering about three quarters of the pork. Add the orange juice, onion, garlic, cumin, and bay leaves. Season the water with salt. Cover the pot with a lid and bring the water to a high simmer over medium heat.
2. Simmer the meat with the lid ajar for three to four hours, occasionally flipping the meat to evenly cook both sides. The meat is done when it is very tender and falling apart easily. Do not reduce the liquid to less than 2 cups, add water if needed. The pork can also braise in the oven at 350°F. The cooking time will be the same.
3. Remove the meat from the pot onto a rimmed baking sheet. Do not discard the cooking liquid! As the meat cools, bring the cooking liquid to a high simmer to reduce the lliquid until there are two cups remaining.
4. While the cooking liquid is reducing, shred the meat, discarding any skin, bones, and tough gristle. Keep all pieces of fat and return them to the pot of cooking liquid as you are shredding the meat. Remove the bay leaves.
5. Once all of the meat is shredded, return it to the pot of reduced cooking liquid and stir very well to coat. At this point, you can freeze the meat in freezer-safe zip-top bags for future meals.
6. Just prior to serving, put the pot over high heat and let the bottom layer of meat begin to crisp and caramelize in the reduced cooking liquid and fat. Once you see brown crispy bits of meat near the edges, turn the heat off, and stir the meat for the last time. Serve the meat with two tablespoons Chimichurri sauce.