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Chipotle Carnitas Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
  • 1 lemon (the juice)
  • 2 sprigs rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
  • Cilantro, lime, cheese for topping

Instructions
 

  • First, begin with a fresh pork shoulder. Use a fork to poke holes in the pork, sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper, and rub on minced garlic. Place the pork in the slow cooker.
  • Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, lemon juice, and rosemary. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. You may want to turn the pork over halfway through cooking, but it's not necessary.
  • Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place in a separate bowl. Use two forks to shred meat.
  • Serve in a bowl or on fresh tortillas. Add any of your favorite toppings, such as cheese, cilantro, lime, or tomatoes.

Notes

  • When purchasing the meat, look for a boneless or bone-in pork butt roast. Depending on where you live, it could be called pork butt, pork shoulder, Boston butt, or Boston shoulder.
  • Before cooking, you’ll need to remove the thick layer of fat on one side of your roast to about 1/8” and cut away any silver skin that’s on the roast.
  • If you want to keep the recipe authentic to Chipotle's version, you may find juniper berries on Amazon, a specialty spice store, or a home brewing shop (juniper berries are often used in making beer or gin).