Carnitas Mac Recipe

Season and brown

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Pat pork pieces dry and season with 1.5 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown pork in batches, about 3–4 minutes per side, until golden. Remove browned pieces and set aside.

Braise

Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic and quartered onion to the pot and sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Return pork to the pot. Pour in 1 cup orange juice, 2 tbs lime juice and 1 cup broth to come about halfway up the pork. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2 to 2.5 hours, until pork is very tender and shreddable.

Shred and crisp

Remove pork from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Shred pork with two forks, discarding large pieces of fat. To get crisp edges (recommended): spread shredded pork on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle a little reserved braising liquid or a tablespoon oil, and broil on high for 4–6 minutes, tossing once, until edges are crisp. Squeeze 1 tbs lime juice over shredded pork and toss. Keep warm.

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 12 oz elbow macaroni and cook until just shy of al dente (about 1 minute less than package directions). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.

Make roux and sauce

In the same pot over medium heat, melt 3 tbs butter. Whisk in 3 tbs flour and cook 1–2 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in 2 cups whole milk and 1/2 cup half-and-half until smooth. Cook, stirring, until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5–7 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp ground mustard (if using).

Add cheeses and combine

Lower heat to low. Remove pot from direct heat and stir in 1 cup shredded pepper jack and 1 cup shredded mozzarella until melted and smooth. If sauce seems too thick, whisk in reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to reach desired creaminess. Add drained pasta to the cheese sauce and fold to combine.

Combine with pork

Gently fold 2 cups of the shredded carnitas into the mac and cheese, reserving the rest for topping. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and lime if desired.

In a medium bowl combine 1 cup corn, 1 cup drained black beans, 1/2 diced red bell pepper, 1/4 cup diced red onion and 2 tbs chopped cilantro. Dress with 1 tbs lime juice, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Toss to combine and refrigerate until ready to serve so flavors meld.

Make chipotle sauce

In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbs minced chipotle peppers in adobo, 1 tbs lime juice and 1 tsp honey until smooth. Taste and adjust heat by adding more adobo if desired.

Assemble and serve

Spoon mac and carnitas into a large serving dish or individual bowls. Top with a generous spoonful of corn and black bean salsa. Scatter reserved shredded carnitas over the salsa for extra texture. Drizzle chipotle sauce over the top or serve on the side. Finish with 1 cup tortilla strips for crunch and sprinkle 2 tbs chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges alongside for squeezing.