#(prep 10min)

Carnitas

Ingredients 

4 lb pork shoulder

2 1/2 tsp salt 

1 tsp pepper

onion

jalapeno 

minced garlic

3/4 cup juice from orange (2 oranges) 

Rub

1 tbsp dried oregano 

2 tsp ground cumin

avocado oil

Instructions 

Rub all over with salt and pepper. Combine the Rub ingredients then rub all over the pork.

Place the pork in a slow cooker (fat cap up), top with the onion, jalapeño, minced garlic (don't worry about spreading it) and squeeze over the juice of the oranges.

Slow Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 7 hours. (Pork should be tender enough to shred.)

Remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly. Then shred.

If you have a lot more than 2 cups of juice, reduce it down to about 2 cups. The liquid will be salty, it is the seasoning for the pork. Set liquid aside - don't bother straining onion etc, it's super soft.

To Crisp:

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non stick panover high heat.

Spread pork in the pan, drizzle over some juices. Wait until the juices evaporate and the bottom side is golden brown and crusty.

Turn and just briefly sear the other side - you don't want to make it brown all over because then it's too crispy, need tender juicy bits.

Remove pork from pan. Repeat in batches (takes me 4 batches) - don't crowd the pan.

Just before serving, drizzle over more juices and serve hot.

Carne Asada

  Ingredients

1 1/2 - 2 pounds flank steak, pounded thin

Marinade

2 tablespoons avocado oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Spice Mix

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 tsp EACH salt, chili pwdr, onion pwdr

1/2 tsp EACH pepper, cayenne pepper

 Instructions

To a small plastic bag (or sealable container), add Spice Mix and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Add Marinade Ingredients to a large freezer bag and whisk to combine. Add 3 tablespoons Spice Mix to Marinade and whisk to combine. Add steak and seal bag, removing excess air. Marinate in the refrigerator 4-12 hours.

When ready to grill, mix remaining Spice Mix with 2 tablespoons olive oil to create a Spice Rub.

Discard marinade and pat steaks dry with paper towel (just so steak is not wet, not to remove marinade/spices). Rub steak evenly all over with Spice Rub and let rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.

Grease and preheat outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Grill steak for 5-6 minutes per side, or until an internal thermometer reads 130-135 degrees F for medium rare or around 140 degrees for medium. Grill time will vary depending on thickness of your steak and desired level of doneness.. *If you like your steaks rare then use HIGH heat so you can get the charred outside in less time.

Remove steak and let rest 10 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain on a diagonal.

HOW TO COOK IN THE OVEN

Place steak on a baking sheet.  Broil 8 inches away from the broiler for 6-8 minutes on each side or until it reaches desired temperature.

TIPS AND TRICKS

Pound the steak to an even, thin thickness.

Do NOT poke holes in the steak before marinating

Don’t over-marinate.

Bring carne asada to room temperature before cooking.

Clean hot grill.

Flip carne asada once using tongs.

Slice across the grain.

Don’t reuse marinade. But you can reserve a couple tablespoons of marinade (not contaminated) to drizzle on veggies before grilling or cooking

SKIRT STEAK VS. FLANK STEAK

What is the difference between flank steak and skirt steak?  Flank steak is a thicker, wider cut of meat than skirt steak. Flank steak and skirt steak come from two different parts of the cow which affects how tough they are.  Skirt steak comes from the diaphragm muscle of the cow which contains more tough muscle fibers than flank steak and is therefore tougher; these fibers, however, also boat a more intense flavor.  

Can I substitute skirt steak for flank steak? If you want to substitute skirt steak for flank steak, it should only be cooked to rare or medium-rare otherwise it will be too tough and chewy to eat.