My wife wanted to have a Mexican menu for my 40th birthday party so naturally I found a way to smoke something. I looked for a recipe on how to smoke pork Carnitas and found a great one I wanted to share and highly suggest. If you haven't had Carnitas they are a Mexican of pulled pork using lard and crisping the pork prior to serving.
Spice Rub:
3 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
1 Tablespoon Ground Coriander
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon White Pepper
1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
For The Mop and Sauce:
1 12 oz bottle of dark Mexican beer like Negra Modelo
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons of the Rub
1. Pierce the roast all over to let the marinade work its way in. Place roast in a foil pan with the orange juice and garlic cloves to soak overnight, turning once or twice so the roast marinates evenly.
2. Discard OJ and garlic and rinse the roast off and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Make the rub by mixing together all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside 2 tablespoons for the mop sauce. Pat the rub all over the roast and let sit to cure for a few hours if you have the time.
4. Make the mop sauce – mix all ingredients together and set aside about 3/4 – 1 cup for later when the meat is done to use as a finishing sauce.
5. Set up a charcoal grill for indirect grilling, medium hot (300° max), and use mesquite/pecan chips for smoke.
6. Smoke the roast for about 4-5 hours or as long as it takes to get to 195°, add coals every hour and a handful or two of wood chips. Liberally mop the roast with the mop sauce about every 45 minutes to an hour.
7. Cook until it’s well done (195°) in the center – this will help it shred easier.
8. When it’s done, let sit for about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes, then tear it apart into shreds.
9. Ladle the remaining mop sauce over the shredded pork.
Here's the 9 pound pork butt I let marinade overnight
http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Coldpizzaphoto/media/image-16.jpg.html
Here's the butt after applying the rub
http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Coldpizzaphoto/media/image-18.jpg.html
Here's the finished product
http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Coldpizzaphoto/media/image-17.jpg.html
I would certainly make this again and was surprised how moist the meat was.
Spice Rub:
3 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
1 Tablespoon Ground Coriander
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon White Pepper
1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
For The Mop and Sauce:
1 12 oz bottle of dark Mexican beer like Negra Modelo
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons of the Rub
1. Pierce the roast all over to let the marinade work its way in. Place roast in a foil pan with the orange juice and garlic cloves to soak overnight, turning once or twice so the roast marinates evenly.
2. Discard OJ and garlic and rinse the roast off and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Make the rub by mixing together all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside 2 tablespoons for the mop sauce. Pat the rub all over the roast and let sit to cure for a few hours if you have the time.
4. Make the mop sauce – mix all ingredients together and set aside about 3/4 – 1 cup for later when the meat is done to use as a finishing sauce.
5. Set up a charcoal grill for indirect grilling, medium hot (300° max), and use mesquite/pecan chips for smoke.
6. Smoke the roast for about 4-5 hours or as long as it takes to get to 195°, add coals every hour and a handful or two of wood chips. Liberally mop the roast with the mop sauce about every 45 minutes to an hour.
7. Cook until it’s well done (195°) in the center – this will help it shred easier.
8. When it’s done, let sit for about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes, then tear it apart into shreds.
9. Ladle the remaining mop sauce over the shredded pork.
Here's the 9 pound pork butt I let marinade overnight
http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Coldpizzaphoto/media/image-16.jpg.html
Here's the butt after applying the rub
http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Coldpizzaphoto/media/image-18.jpg.html
Here's the finished product
http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Coldpizzaphoto/media/image-17.jpg.html
I would certainly make this again and was surprised how moist the meat was.
