Carnitas cooked with green tomatillo sauce and salsa verde. Served with rice, beans and flour tortillas

Cut 2-3 lbs of pork shoulder into large chunks. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and oregano. Heat some oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Sear pork chunks on all sides until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Add enough water or chicken broth to just cover the meat, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2-3 hours until pork is very tender and can be shredded easily with a fork.

Season and cook pork

Once cooked, remove pork from liquid and shred with forks. Optional: heat shredded pork in a large skillet over medium-high heat to crisp up edges for added texture and flavor.

Shred and crisp carnitas

Remove husks from 1 lb of tomatillos and rinse to remove sticky residue. Cut tomatillos in half or quarters if large.

Prepare tomatillos

Place tomatillos, 1 jalapeño (stemmed), 2 cloves of garlic, and 1/2 chopped onion on a baking sheet. Roast under the broiler for 5-7 minutes until charred and softened.

Roast vegetables

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender or food processor. Add 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, juice of 1 lime, and salt to taste. Blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Blend salsa verde

Place shredded carnitas into a large pan over medium heat. Pour prepared salsa verde over the carnitas and stir to combine. Simmer for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Add additional chicken broth if needed for moisture.

In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add 1 cup long grain rice and toast until lightly golden. Stir in 2 cups chicken broth, 1/4 cup tomato sauce, a minced garlic clove, and salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Cook Mexican rice

Heat 1-2 cups of pinto or black beans (canned or cooked from scratch) in a saucepan over medium heat. Season with salt, cumin, and garlic powder to taste. Simmer and mash slightly for refried-style if desired.

Prepare beans

Warm flour tortillas on a dry skillet over medium heat for 20-30 seconds per side until pliable. Serve the chile verde carnitas hot, accompanied by the rice, beans, and warm tortillas on the side.

chile verde

Recipe information

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