orange and garlic pork carnitas, pressure cooked then crisped, AIP Core

Elimination asks for a lot of planning, and planning takes energy you may not have to spare. This carnitas is built for exactly that shortage: 5 ingredients, a pressure cooker doing the actual labor, and a pot of meat at the end that carries you through several dinners instead of one.

Pork is a strong source of thiamin, also called vitamin B1, and thiamin is one of the nutrients your body needs to convert food into the energy fatigue keeps pulling away from you. Squeeze the fresh orange over the meat before it crisps, and you get vitamin C too, still intact since the heat has not had a chance to touch it.

This is a whole cut of pork giving itself over to your week, and it is worth a quiet acknowledgment of that while it cooks low and slow. When it is crisped and ready, build a plate with color, sit down, and eat it slow enough to actually taste what 5 ingredients and a little patience turned into.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 medium oranges
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2.5 lbs boneless pork country-style ribs (or pork butt or shoulder), cut into large chunks
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed

Method

Lay the sliced onion across the bottom of the pressure cooker pot to make a bed. Scatter the smashed garlic over it.

Cut the pork into large chunks, season all over with the sea salt, and set the pieces on top of the onion and garlic.

Cut the oranges in half and squeeze the juice over the pork, then tuck two or three of the spent orange halves into the pot. They steam down and lend a deep citrus note as the meat cooks.

Seal the lid and pressure cook on high until the pork is fall-apart tender, about 35 to 45 minutes (time flagged, source unstated). Let the pressure release naturally for 10 to 15 minutes, then release the rest.

Lift the pork out and shred it with two forks, discarding the spent orange halves. Skim a little of the rich fat and cooking liquid from the pot and toss it back through the shredded meat so it stays juicy.

To crisp it, spread the shredded pork in a single layer on a sheet pan and run it under a hot broiler, or press it into a hot skillet, until the edges go brown and crackly, about 5 to 8 minutes (flagged, source unstated). Watch it closely so it crisps without drying out. Serve warm with a squeeze of fresh orange.

Instant Pot variation

This recipe is built for the Instant Pot, so the main method above is the pressure-cook version: onion and garlic on the bottom, salted pork on top, orange juice and spent halves over it, high pressure for about 35 to 45 minutes (flagged), natural release. The only added step for crisping is the broiler or skillet finish. If you would rather brown the chunks first, use the Saute function before sealing the lid, then proceed as above.

*Adapted from wendisaipkitchen.com*