Smoked, lard braised butt

[Darryl - swazies]

The title is as about as sexy as Chris will let me post…..
Got a shoulder cut into 4 pieces and on the smoke for about 7:30 this mornin….about 7.75 lbs.
Gringo grande with as much force as it would handle….this stuff is so good, mainly because maybe it isn’t salty at all….large quantities go over well.
Had a nice low smoke going, running about 240 for hours, then a bit warmer to finish up and get a bit more colour.
About 7 hours there to 160 and into a pan that I foiled for braising. The liquid, I guess the only thing in the foil pan besides the pork is lard.
pics are the 160 and the braise pic it actually hit 205…I turned the temp down to 190 looking to get a bit more rendering if I can without raising the temp.
Hope it doesn’t overcook to a 210 or something.
Made fire roasted salsa, it’s great, the MRS whipped up some guacamole.
Looks like fried carnitas tonight, later dinner around 8 est.
Going for the best of the best tonight, fried, braised, smoked pork, with fire roasted salsa that is pretty darn spicy….with finely chopped onion and cilantro.
If you ask me there is nothing better you can throw on a taco….not cheese, not sour creme, other than a more spectacular protein this is it.
pics to follow in a few hours.

 

[timothy]

Oh wow!

 

[Erik Tracy]

Decadently delicious!

Reminds me of a funny Big Bang Theory scene

 

[RLittle]

Man….this is going to be good!

 

[Darryl - swazies]

Rendered for about 4 hours in the braise,strained the lard, save a bit for frying and put the rest in the fridge and use it again for the next cook….I heard through the grapevine the best carnitas makers keep reusing the lard over and over. The seasoning of gringo grande is what makes me consider that saving it might not work…..but it’s hard to put 7 pounds of protein on the smoker with no seasoning.
I made a shoulder a few weeks back and used water, orange juice and chili’s for carnitas and using lard is a game changer…..I noticed 100% while pulling it…..more chunks and juicy rather than dry and stringy. The MRS and myself put it through the taste test and it is different than all others I have made….it’s the new go to.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

Thanks again for showing me your tips on carnitas Mr. Richards.
One or 2 more rounds and they are going to be the best they can be.

 

[Michael Richards]

Darryl,
Everything looks out of bounds amazing. My son was just complaining yesterday that we have not had any killer tacos in a while. He is requesting rotisserie chicken tinga tacos, but another round of carnitas is calling my name too.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

Final pics, the MRS likes the goat cheese and the fried veggies.
Came out great, top 2 or 3 tacos all time.
The best part is all tacos are good Michael.

 

[Karl Quist]

Likewise, I will use a word that will pass the standards, GADZOOKS that sure looks good.

 

[Brett-EDH]

I heard through the grapevine the best carnitas makers keep reusing the lard over and over.

Fact. Not fiction.

 

[John K BBQ]

Fact. Not fiction.

Where do the best carnitas makers hide the used lard from their wifey's? I think my wifey might not catch on until the 2nd or 3rd time then I'd be in trouble...

 

[Brett-EDH]

Where do the best carnitas makers hide the used lard from their wifey's? I think my wifey might not catch on until the 2nd or 3rd time then I'd be in trouble...

I have a batch in my fridge. Need to freeze it now.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

Fact. Not fiction.

I have gotten pretty close to the chef / owners of one of the 3 traditional Mexican eateries within 1 hour from my house....there is lots of crap out there but 3 for sure excellent top shelf food joints....once the chef at the closest one to us understood I like to make good food we chatted about our smokers and jerky, stuff like that. My cooks differ from his in man ways which was interesting to listen to. I talked about carnitas and how I used a mix of water and chilis and orange ect last time. He highly recommended the lard and told me why and to use save it and use it again.
I did save it, seemed to separate into 2 different fats once cooled.....looks like the actual fat from the pork has sunk to the bottom but I could be wrong. I did strain it.

I just want to ask.....you plan on freezing your lard? I just want to know why, it is shelf stable prior to use an recommends using it at room temps.
I have mine in the fridge now with expectations it can just stay there.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

Where do the best carnitas makers hide the used lard from their wifey's? I think my wifey might not catch on until the 2nd or 3rd time then I'd be in trouble...

Hilarious.
We know most fats for the most part in high quantities are not the best for you......I choose my fats to what I believe is wise and lard falls in to my category of one I can use......not all the time but when needed......Many other fats are terrible for the human body, and now that I have avoided a few for a long time when I do eat it things happen to me that I cannot get into details about.
Maybe you could get the wifey on the lard train........
I think if you did use it then went back to not using it you would get permission......I noticed right away, lets just say the tasting trials almost turned into the meal itself.

 

[ChuckO]

That's how it's done Darryl

 

[Brett-EDH]

I just want to ask.....you plan on freezing your lard? I just want to know why, it is shelf stable prior to use an recommends using it at room temps.
I have mine in the fridge now with expectations it can just stay there

All fats can turn rancid. Restaurants cook every day so they’re keeping their fats heated which stops them from turning rancid. Since I might make carnitas a few times a year, freezing the fats ensures they’ll be good.

I could be crazy. But everything has a shelf life. Since carnitas fat is valuable I just freeze it for safety.

 

[Peter Gallagher]

great looking tacos for sure!

 

[Darryl - swazies]

All fats can turn rancid. Restaurants cook every day so they’re keeping their fats heated which stops them from turning rancid. Since I might make carnitas a few times a year, freezing the fats ensures they’ll be good.

I could be crazy. But everything has a shelf life. Since carnitas fat is valuable I just freeze it for safety.

Makes sense, I was less worried about it as it sits in the cold, it looks like a fortress and nothing bad could happen to it......but you may have something there.
On the packaging, where I found it on the store shelf it recommends using it at room temps, but once heated it may change its behavior.
I have room to freeze it so I may just do that......