Not only that, but there's a whole world of foods (BBQ, ribs, stewed meats) that seem like they'd be so much easier with a slow cooker. Is that how all you slow cooker owners live? You have endless amounts of ready-to-eat, delicious foods sitting around.
Well, until I get more cabinet space (I can thank my husband's dehydrator for that), I'll have to settle for scratch cooking – wait, no! Can't believe I almost forgot! Somewhere on the internets, I ran across an uh-ma-zing technique for making carnitas on the stovetop! They're juicy, flavorful, falling-apart tender and.... they only take three hours! Sure that's a chunk of time, but plan it for the nights when you know you're going to be bingeing on Netflix or that day (it's coming) when you can't put off cleaning that hard-to-reach area behind the toilet any longer. (Gross... she just mentioned toilets in a food post.)
So, without further ado, the recipe for carnitas (Husband- and Cat-approved):
Stovetop Carnitas
Serves – well, here's the thing – it makes like 16 4-ounce portions, but it really depends on how hungry you are. In a household of one young woman and one young man and two cats, it lasted about a week.
Ingredients:
Approximately 4 lbs. pork butt and shoulder, large pieces of fat trimmed off and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
3 cups orange juice (I used pulp free)
3 cups beef broth
Salt and pepper to your liking
1. Combine all ingredients in a large stainless steel pot or dutch oven (make sure it has a tight fitting lid) and add enough water to completely cover the pork.
2. Bring to a rolling boil on the stovetop, then reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer approximately two to two and a half hours. At this point, check the seasonings and add more salt and pepper if desired.
3. Cover and cook to the full three hours. It will be literally falling apart when it's done.
4. Drain, reserving liquid for another purpose if you like, and serve warm or hot.
These keep for at least a week in the fridge (we've never had any left after that point!), and you can freeze for a longer shelf life.
– M