Braised Pork Carnitas
By Traeger Kitchen
We’ve done the impossible. We made carnitas even better by braising them in beer on the Traeger. Start with a well-marbled boneless pork shoulder and break it down to 2-inch pieces, then braise until exceptionally tender.
Prep Time
15 Min
Cook Time
3 Hr
30 Min
Pellets
Hickory
Ingredients
This recipe serves:
4
Activating this element will cause content on the page to be updated.Units of Measurement:
Carnitas
| 1 | (3 1/2-4 lb) boneless, well-marbled pork shoulder |
| 1 | (12 oz) can of beer |
| As Needed | water |
| 2 Teaspoon | kosher salt |
| 1/2 Teaspoon | ground cumin |
| 2 Tablespoon | lard or vegetable shortening |
Tacos
| 12 | corn or flour tortillas, warmed |
| salsa verde | |
| diced white onion | |
| Shredded green cabbage or lettuce | |
| pico de gallo | |
| sliced radishes | |
| chopped fresh cilantro | |
| Guacamole, for serving |
Steps
1
When ready to cook, set Traeger temperature to 300°F and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes.
300 ˚F / 149 ˚C
2
Slice the pork into 2-inch pieces and transfer to a Dutch oven or a roasting pan. Add the beer and top off with enough water to barely cover the meat. Stir in the salt and the cumin. Bring to a boil on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
3
Carefully transfer the Dutch oven (uncovered) to the grill grates. Close the grill lid and roast, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender, 2 1/2-3 hours, adding a bit more water as needed if the liquid is evaporating too quickly.
300 ˚F / 149 ˚C
03:00
4
Remove the Dutch oven from the grill and increase the Traeger temperature to 400°F. Drain off any remaining cooking liquid and discard. Use a fork to break up the pork into bite-size chunks.
400 ˚F / 204 ˚C
5
Add the lard to the Dutch oven and return to the grill. Close the lid and cook, stirring frequently until the pork is browned and some bits are slightly crisp, 15-20 minutes.
400 ˚F / 204 ˚C
00:20
6
Serve the carnitas in warm tortillas with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
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