Traci Des Jardins's Carnitas Tacos Recipe

• 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder with fat
• 1/4 cup lard, duck fat, or vegetable oil
• 1 Negra Modela beer
• 2 tangerines, quartered
• 1 ounce piloncillo or brown sugar, roughly crushed
• 1 dried chipotle chile
• Salt and pepper
• 12 to 18 small corn tortillas
• 1 bag tortillas chips, preferably homemade
• 1 pound tomatillos
• 1 serrano chile
• 1 white onion, peeled
• 1 bunch cilantro, thoroughly washed
• Salt
• 2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled and de-seeded
• 1/2 remaining cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 white onion, finely minced
• Juice of 4 Key limes or 2 regular limes
• 1/4 finely minced serrano chile
• Salt to taste, about 1 1/2 teaspoons
• 1/2 white onion, finely diced
• 1/4 bunch cilantro leaves, roughly cut
• 1/4 serrano chile, finely minced
• 5 Key limes, halved, or 2 regular limes, quartered

1. Remove the outside fat from the meat and cut the fat into strips 1 inch x 1/4 x 1/4.
2. Cut the meat into 3 x 3 x 3 inch chunks, you do not need precisely this size, roughly.
3. Place the lard or oil into a saute pan and heat over medium high heat.
4. When the oil is hot add the fat pieces and stir with a wooden spoon.
5. Allow to cook over medium to medium high heat, they should be at a slow sizzle.
6. Allow to brown slowly, over a 7 to 10 minute period, the oil should not be smoking hot.
7. Using a slotted spoon or spider, remove the fat from the pan when it is golden brown and crispy, retire to a paper towel to drain and season with salt.
8. Thoroughly salt the pork pieces and place into the hot fat.
9. Cook over medium high heat and brown on all sides until a deep golden brown, probably about 15 minutes.
10. When deep golden brown on all sides, turn the pan off and wait for 5 minutes.
11. Open the beer and take a big swig and then add the bottle to the pan.
12. Add the tangerines, piloncillo, and chipotle chile, bring to a simmer and cover.
13. Cook at a low simmer on the stovetop or in a 250 degree oven for about 2 hours, or until falling apart.
14. Remove the husks from the tomatillos and discard.
15. Wash the tomatillos in warm water to remove the film on them.
16. Roughly chop 1/2 of the serrano chile, reserve other half for guacamole.
17. Roughly chop 1/4 of the white onion.
18. Cut 2 inches of the stem off of the cilantro and discard.
19. Then cut the bunch in half.
20. Reserve the leaves for garnish.
21. Place the tomatillos in a blender and blend to smooth.
22. Add the onion, serrano and the stem half of the cilantro and blend to smooth, add salt to taste, about 1 1/2 tablespoons.
23. Place into a bowl.
24. Place the avocados in a mortar or a mixing bowl.
25. Crush with a pestle or a pastry cutter or potato masher or a fork.
26. Add the lemon juice and salt and mix well, add the onion and cilantro, taste for seasoning.

pork shoulder, lard, modela beer, tangerines, brown sugar, chile, salt, corn tortillas, tortillas chips, serrano chile, white onion, cilantro, salt, avocados, remaining cilantro, white onion, regular limes, serrano chile, salt, white onion, cilantro, serrano chile, regular limes

Taken from www.chowhound.com/recipes/traci-des-jardins-carnitas-tacos-30677 (may not work)