Overnight Carnitas

[Consiglieri]

Wanted to revisit this project:   http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=5529.0 so that's what I started last night.  While preheating the DBS, I rubbed an 8# butt with Cholula Mexican seasoning and a bunch of cumin.  Put the meat into the box at about 7:30 pm, with four hours of smoke (2:1, hickory:mesquite).  The mop was 1.5C apple juice, juice of one lemon, 1tsp cumin.  Meat hit 195F around 11:30 this morning, then into FTC for two hours.

Mean time, I made the chile paste (BTW in the original post I said 16 ancho and 16 pasilla chiles-- my mistake, anchos and pasillas are the same-- there were 16 pasilla and 16 New Mexico (California Chile Pods)).  I only had New Mexico chiles this time, so that's what I used.  Used some of the vinegar from the barrel which really added a kick.  The paste recipe is posted on the link above. 

Here's some pictures of making the paste:





Now here's the meat:





Here's the meat tossed in the paste and frying (I should have used the big saute pan that has higher walls so that I might have avoided the messy stove):





And then into the crock pot waiting for dinner (I'll have to remember that this crockpot can catch a reflection).  I have some whole black beans and Mexican rice that will be cooked up in a bit.  Fresh corn tortillas, pico de gallo, avocado, tomatoes and some monterey jack. 



Here's the downside to this meal, but the meat is well worth it:



Hope everyone is having a great weekend.  I'm going to go stuff my face. 

[Smoking Duck]

Sweet Fancy Moses!  That looks awesome, Sigs!  It looks like something right out of Nepas playbook.  I wish I could do some more spicier meals out here but the wife and kids think bell peppers are hot  :'(

If I were to feed it to them, it would be vaya con bano (don't know how to do the enye thing on the computer).  That's about the only downside to marrying a blonde Norwegian gal  ;) ;D

[Consiglieri]

I married a Sedish/Italian, but I have a bit of Norwegian in me too.  With the California chiles, the paste isn't really spicy.  You can also omit a lot of the seeds, which will cool down on the heat.  Actually, now that I think about it, a lot of the seeds were removed with the stems, which would explain why it didn't turn out too hot.

Give it a shot.  I think you'll like it.

[Smoking Duck]

All-right then.......I'll put it on the to-do list.  If you say it, that's good enough for me.  Not sure if I can find California chiles out here and unfortunately, Indiana chile is actually corn, so that won't work. :o  When you say California chiles, is that the same as Anaheim chiles?  I'm sure I can find something though.  Just gotta get some pork butt.

Hope all is well with you, my friend!

Marc

[FLBentRider]

That looks great, Consigs.

Ahhh the clean-up.

I married an Irish-German Redhead. No problem with spicy here. Plenty of Fire...

[Smokin Soon]

What does anyone think about a seperate topic, "South of the Border" either here or the recipe site? There are quite a few recipes scattered around the forum that could be collected.

[Smoking Duck]

To the folks at Bradley and others (like Mr. Walleye), who reside in Canada, South of the Border refers to quite a bit of different food  ;D

[La Quinta]

Consigs...looks great...and "ya ain't cookin' unless the kitchen is a mess!!!"  I'm hungry again tonight!!  :)

[Consiglieri]

Yep, spicey and hot are two different things.  I think, against usual characteristics, that I ought to shut up right there.   ;D.  Thanks for  the compliments. 

I like the spice at home, and on the plate.  Mrs. C is a saint, and let's just say I've rewritten this line at least three times and am not (trying to look like) a pervert.  IMO, if the kitchen stays dirty, that means there's some worthwhile cooking going on, or at least some respectable effort.  ;D  Gotta work on that next recipe for the right bait (gotta keep wifey happy), and the right approach too (we clods need all the help we can get).  ;)

SS: I think we can keep this stuff in hot smoking and BBQ.  A good topic header ought to aid with the search.  And that will help us staties from getting confused when the kanucks post about the southies.    ;)

Cheers

[NePaSmoKer]

I love carnitas de puerco. But everyone prob knows that.

nepas

[IKnowWood]

Yeah NePa your pretty much an open book that has some good eats. 

This recipe is much like what my wife and I do.  We liquify the paste a bit more into a sauce and fry the Carnitas in butter to crisp them some then server the sauce on plate over the Carnita's with some cheese on top.  For the sauce we used ground Hatch or Chimayo Chile of the Hot variety.  A nice deep red color.   I tried getting some Ancho to dry and turn red, but it just molded.  I had family from New Mexico send some Ristras of Chile to me but they also Molded quickly.  I even tried to from some Chimayo from seed but that also was a bust.  Flavor was way off and about twice as hot as what we get ground (course we planted the Jalepenos close to these so I think some blending occurred). 

I stick with trusty ground shipped from home.

[NePaSmoKer]

Man consig i am having a drool session here. looks awsome.

nepas

[Consiglieri]

Thank you, gentlemen.  This is a fun recipe to make, but cleaning, not so much fun. 

[stillsmoking]

My gosh Consigs!  Am working on some rubbed chicken in a Bradley/Big Easy combo but may throw it out in favor of your recipe!  I am glad I am alone as the amount of saliva I have generated is embarassing.  Nepas turned us on to Carnitas but will have to give this one a shot too!