Pork has always been one of my favorite meats and I think it is very versatile. This pork recipe, while made for a sandwich, can easily be turned into pork carnitas with the addition of some additional ingredients and spices. The meat is confited in lard.
I learned the bourbon-braised onion recipe from a cooking class that I took, but I made some of my own adjustments.
You will notice that I use lard in this recipe. Don’t be scared of it. According to WebstaurantStoreBlog (https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/3068/what-is-lard.html), lard is the semi-soft, white fat located in the fattiest portions of a pig. Used as a cooking fat for centuries, lard fell out of favor when hydrogenated vegetable shortening was invented in the early 20th century. We now know that hydrogenated fats, also called trans fats, may increase the risk of heart disease. Lard contains no trans fats and is becoming a popular cooking fat once again.
INGREDIENTS:
- For the pork:
- 3 Lbs of boneless pork shoulder or pork butt cut into 3 inch chunks
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 Lemon sliced in circles
- 1 Head of garlic sliced in half crosswise
- 3 Lbs. Lard
- For the onions:
-
- 3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 Medium onions, peeled and cut into half moons (approx 1/2 inch thick)
- 1/2 Cup unsalted beef broth
- 6 Stems of fresh thyme
- 2 Tspns kosher salt
- 1 Tspn freshly ground pepper
- 2/3 Cup bourbon
- 1 1/2 Tsp sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
- For the pork:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Pat the pieces of pork dry with a paper towel.
- Salt and pepper the chunks of pork an hour before you begin to confit them.
- Melt the lard in an 6 to 8 quart oven proof Dutch oven on medium high heat.
- Slowly add the pork, lemon slices and garlic to the pot making sure that all three ingredients are submerged in the fat
- Bring the oil to a bubbly consistency.
- Once the oil and meat begin to bubble transfer to the oven without a lid and cook for 2 1/2 hours.
- Remove the pot from the oven and let sit for half an hour.
- Remove the meat with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined platter.
- Discard the garlic and lemon slices.
- When the meat is cool enough to handle pull the meat apart into a bowl and toss with the juice of one lime.
- For the onions:
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the butter and olive oil and heat until the butter foams.
- Add the onion slices, salt and pepper stirring well to coat.
- Sear the onions until they begin to soften and start to brown.
- Add the beef broth and thyme stems, stirring well to blend.
- Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking the onions until tender, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the thyme stems.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the bourbon and sugar, stirring well to coat.
- Return the pan to the stovetop and continue cooking on medium-high heat until the bourbon has almost completely evaporated.
Butter and toast a bun on a griddle or pan. Mix two parts mayonnaise to one part BBQ sauce for your dressing. Spread the mixture on your toasted bun, top with pork meat, onions and pickles and enjoy!