CARNITAS

Ingredientai

2 tablespoons pure olive oil

5 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 12-ounce package sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons chopped dried chile de árbol or dried red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 dried bay leaf

Nurodymai

Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

Set a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the oil, and heat until the oil is shimmering, about 2 minutes. Add the pork shoulder and the bacon. Cook until the pork is browned on both sides and the bacon is starting to render its fat, about 10 minutes.

Add the pepper, cumin, chile, oregano, salt, and bay leaf, and then pour in 4 cups of water (the water should come about halfway up the pork; add more if necessary). Bring the water to a boil and then place the pot, uncovered, in the oven. Cook the pork, turning it every 30 minutes, until it is tender and shreds easily, about 2 hours.

Remove the pot from the oven and use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to a cutting board. Discard the bacon. Let the pork cool slightly, and then roughly chop it.

Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Working in batches, place some of the pork in the pan (don’t overcrowd the pan) and press down on it with a spatula until it is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the browned pork to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining pork. Serve the carnitas in tacos, burritos, or bowls.

Pastabos

GRILLED PINEAPPLE

There’s just something about the pairing of salty, rich pork and sweet, tangy pineapple that makes it one of the most delicious combinations in the Mexican kitchen. Grilling pineapple to make a few tacos makes a lot of sense, because nobody ever complained about having leftover grilled pineapple. Just one request: Please don’t use the canned fruit in these recipes! It can’t hold a candle to grilled fresh pineapple—you’re better off doing without.

Here’s how to do it: With a big kitchen knife, cut the top off the pineapple; then cut the bottom off to make a stable base. Stand the pineapple upright and slice down the sides to remove the thick spiny skin, following the shape of the pineapple. Lay the pineapple down and slice it crosswise. Use a small round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter to punch out the core in each slice. Heat a gas or charcoal grill or grill pan to medium heat. Grill slices over medium heat until they are caramelized on both sides, about 3 minutes a side.

Use any leftovers on yogurt for breakfast, on ice cream, in salads, or as a snack on its own.

Trejo’s Tip

GET CHEESY

At the restaurant we shred our own blend of mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and asadero cheese to fill our tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, but you can use any shredded Mexican-style cheese blend from the supermarket. The mixtures can vary a little and sometimes contain cheddar or queso quesadilla, but they all will work just fine.

Carnitas means “little meats” in Spanish. Which doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense when you’re starting with a 5-pound hunk of pork that is by no means a “little meat.” This is how it got its name: the pork shoulder is braised low and slow into submission with herbs and chiles. It becomes so tender that you can literally cut it with a spoon. After that, you take the pork and add it to a hot pan. As you press down on it to get it to crisp and brown, the pork shreds and makes those little pieces of incredibly flavorful meat.