Pork to the power of pork

[JAB]

So, what do you get when

1. You take four pounds of lard, put it in a pot:

and melt it over medium heat:

2. Then take a ~five pound pork roast that you earlier deboned, cut into cubes and then marinated in a mix of lime juice and spices for several hours:

3. Place the pork cubes in the melted lard and allow to SIMMER:

4. Then, after about an hour of simmering, you turn up the heat and allow the pork to 'deep fry' in the lard for nearly another hour so that it gets nicely brown and crispy on the outside?

Why, you get carnitas, of course*:

(Also accepted as a correct answer would be, "What JAB is having for dinner tonight.)

So that covers one major food group - pork. But what about vegetative material?

Well, I guess one could roast a few ears of corn in the oven, cut the kernels off the cob then mix it with some onion, black beans, an heirloom tomato purchased from an Amish produce market, fresh cilantro, spices, lime juice, vinegar and salt to create a roasted corn and black bean salsa. If one were so inclined, that is:

Then, when ready to eat, one could prepare some Spanish rice and cut up an avacado then serve it all up with some flour tortillas (sorry, no pics of that - made the carnitas and salsa last night, the rice hasn't been made, yet, nor has the avacado been cut.)

Edited July 30, 2012 by JAB

[Caster]

So, what do you get when

A stroke, an aneurysm and a pulmonary embolism.

[JAB]

A stroke, an aneurysm and a pulmonary embolism.

Meh, it isn't like I eat this stuff every day. In fact, this is the first time I've made them using this method. Besides, I could live 'healthy' and still go out that way:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Fixx

Edited July 30, 2012 by JAB

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

That is looks.. yummy..

[Chazmr]

Looks awesome. So what time is dinner?

[Guest 6.8 AR]

That's looks like you're eating mighty high on the hog, tonight.

[Guest superdrew4000]

I love it, Jim Fixx is the example I always use when extolling the virtues of living in "moderation."

And carnitas are a gift from God. Right along with beer.

Edited July 31, 2012 by superdrew4000

[Handsome Rob]

Left arm........tingly.........mouth........watery.......*nnnnnnnggggghh*

[Caster]

Looks like Jewish hell to me.

[JAB]

Well, they were pretty good. If there is a 'next time' for preparing them this way (rather than using the less 'extreme' simmer in orange juice/spices/lime then strain and bake until crispy method) I think I will cut the roast into larger chunks and not simmer in the lard as long before turning up the heat to fry. That is because, while the ones I sampled right after taking them up were really good - with them cut into such small pieces, refrigerating and reheating them made them a little dry. I'll get around that with the leftovers, though - I'm going to simmer them in salsa verde to make homemade chili verde (which I honestly like even better than plain carnitas, anyhow.) That will be later in the week, though.

Mostly, I did this just to have the experience of doing it. It likely won't be a 'regular' thing because I now have four pounds of lard and nothing to really do with it - and, believe it or not buying such a quantity of lard ain't exactly what I would call 'cheap'. The only, other thing I ever do with actual lard (instead of vegetable shortening, butter, etc.) is that I sometimes make biscuits with it. Honestly, lard makes the best biscuits ever. I guess I could save it in case I decide to do this style of carnitas, again, but it will probably have to go in the freezer. Otherwise, it will most likely get old and start tasting 'rancid' before I get around to using it again.

Anyhow, whether I use this method again or not I can at least check it off my list of 'things I want to try'. Now I just need to get my butt in gear, get ahold of another pork roast or two and try my hand at making andouille (my next thing I want to try doing.) I've made sausage, before - using the same kind of hand cranked grinder that I recently purchased - but I've never made andouille.

Edited July 31, 2012 by JAB

[JAB]

Looks like Jewish hell to me.

Hah! One of the oddest cooking related experiences I have had was when a then co-worker, who was Jewish, in a former job asked me the best way to cook a ham for Christmas. Seems her husband was Christian and her kids got to observe the holidays for both religions so she wanted to cook a Christmas ham for them.

[Caster]

Hah! One of the oddest cooking related experiences I have had was when a then co-worker, who was Jewish, in a former job asked me the best way to cook a ham for Christmas. Seems her husband was Christian and her kids got to observe the holidays for both religions so she wanted to cook a Christmas ham for them.

That's a good woman.

[Jonnin]

I was sure this was going to be a political topic about upcoming laws or something.

[TMF]

Definitely not halal... such a thing to do during the holy month of Carbombadan. I'm not allowed to cook with lard in the house anymore. I was trying to teach my yankee wife how to make fried chicken a few years ago and used lard. The smell made her sick and she claimed it made the house smell. I was like "yeah it makes the house smell... awesome."

[peejman]

That certainly looks yummy, though I was expecting something more like this....

http://www.bbqaddicts.com/blog/recipes/bacon-explosion/

[Metalhead]

[JAB]

That certainly looks yummy, though I was expecting something more like this....

http://www.bbqaddict...acon-explosion/

Naw, but I do occasionally like and have made Scotch eggs (boiled eggs wrapped in sausage and then deep fried.) I only have them about once a year, though. Actually, less than that since Durty Nelly's down in Chattanooga closed.

When it comes to 'extreme' bacon, I've long thought this had to be on the list:

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For the record, I've never actually tried chicken fried bacon. Sounds like the kind of thing I'd talk someone else into ordering and then try a bite.

Edited July 31, 2012 by JAB

[Guest dubaholic2]

That certainly looks yummy, though I was expecting something more like this....

http://www.bbqaddict...acon-explosion/

That looks like sex rolled in bacon.

[Guest TankerHC]

I had Carnitas at a Mexican Reteraunt here in Jackson I frequent for the first time last year. Now, Im addicted to them.

[JAB]

I had Carnitas at a Mexican Reteraunt here in Jackson I frequent for the first time last year. Now, Im addicted to them.

If ya' like carnitas and are a fan of spicy, try (pork - although it us usually pork) chili verde sometime. Carnitas cooked in salsa verde (tomatillo salsa, basically.) Yum! Some places I've had chili verde and it was just a bit spicy. Other places, it would nearly set your hair on fire. I prefer the 'hair on fire' versions but it's all good!