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Guys, we have serious, serious things to chat about today.
Number one is obviously these carnitas. These extra special, super delicious slow roasted pork carnitas.
And two? Well two is about what’s been on my mind recently. Let’s start with two, and then we’ll move on to the carnitas. Promise, I will try not to write a novel…
So lately I’ve been I wanting to do more with the blog. I need a little more of a challenge, something new, something different, and I feel like the blog needs a little update. I’d like you to let me know what you’d like to see more of on HBH. Is it super easy recipes? More quick how-to videos? Longer videos… where I talk and talk and talk? Do you like hearing all about my life and what’s happening behind the scenes? Or would you prefer for me to simply stick to content? How about some lifestyle posts? Would you be into fashion inspired posts? If so, what areas? I really want to know what you’d love to see me share? I want to go there, to add something new and fun and fresh and different! So please… give me your thoughts, ideas, comments… I want to hear them all!
PS. the fashion thing?? Anyone? You know my whole life I thought I was going to work in the fashion industry, but then my move to LA happened and I kind of freaked, and then this blog happened. Now I only buy dishes and surfaces, and only wear Lululemon tights and sweatshirts smeared with chocolate all day long…I wouldn’t mind bringing a little fashion back into my world. Would you guys be into it? My favorite trends? My wish list? Maybe some go-to working girl outfits? Maybe only as a monthly thing, or maybe more? Thoughts?!?!
PSS. What about entertaining posts!?! I’m really into these. Like dinner parties, summer get-togethers, cocktails… Would you be interested in seeing more of these types of posts?
OKok, and now let’s chat carnitas!!!
The pork gets slow cooked for two to three hours and when it’s finished, it literally just falls apart. The shredded meat makes for the most epic round of tacos, complete with all the toppings. The meat just melts in your mouth and the flavor is insane.
Like nothing better.
Also, while this meat is great for tacos, it’s also great for burrito bowls, nachos, pizza, quesadillas, sandwiches, ext…the options here are endless. With this carnita recipe, you really can do no wrong! 🙂
The one must? A side of guacamole and chips.
My Favorite Slow Roasted Pork Carnitas.
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 516 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder cut into 3 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 cup Mexican beer or low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 leaves bay
- juice from 2 limes
- cilantro for serving
Instructions
Classic Slow Roasted On the Stove
- Toss the cubed pork with the garlic powder and chipotle chili powder. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Sear the pork on all sides. If needed, sear the pork in batches if your dutch oven is not large enough. Reduce the heat low and pour in the beer, orange juice and 1/2 cup water (there should be just enough liquid to cover the sides of the meat). Add the bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours on LOW. After 1 1/2 hours the pork should be falling apart. Remove the lid and continue cooking another 30 minutes. The Coca-Cola will caramelize and the liquid will evaporate almost completely.
- Transfer the pork to a cutting board and shred. Drizzle the carnitas with lime juice. Serve with warm tortillas, avocado and cheese. EAT!
Crockpot
- Toss the cubed pork with the garlic powder and chipotle chili powder. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Sear the pork on all sides. If needed, sear the pork in batches if your dutch oven is not large enough. Transfer the pork to the bowl of your crockpot. Add the beer, orange juice, 1/2 cup water and the bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. During the last hour, remove the lid and allow the liquid to evaporate almost completely.
- Transfer the pork to a cutting board and shred. Serve with warm tortillas, avocado and cheese. EAT!
I mean, obviously. ???
As a nonstop traveller I have to say your blog gives me LIFE and I’d hate to see it change too much…but you’ve got some great ideas that can’t go to waste!
Personally, I absolutely LOVE hearing all the behind the scenes and your crazy yet awesome sounding family and all that happens with you guys. I also am mega into recipe videos 🙂
Hope you see this and that it helps at all
Hi Natala, I not only saw your comment, but will definitely use your suggestions. A number of people have said that they would like more behind the scenes info and to hear more about my crazy family. Also, more videos are already in the works. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! Tieghan
I did not read all of the above comments, but it did seem as if you had tons of positive feedback. I’ve read your blog from early on. I do not read it every day because there is never enough hours in the day. I don’t use social media (is that the correct term for a blog) on a daily basis. I do turn to yours for inspiration & you never fail me. I have no interest in fashion, but it’s your blog, & should be what You have passion for. Who knows, you might even inspire me to get out of my boot/flip-flop only routine…not likely thou:). I’m not sure why everyone wants the “behind the scenes” action. To me, that’s kinda like watching someone wash the dishes, I’d rather just see the beautiful end result. I do like the little snippets of family life, you have a really creative life, relax & enjoy it. This may be a hot button issue that you wouldn’t want to touch…what about adding some core, make people think, life issues occasionally? You do live in a “prohibition lifted” on Cannabius state, interesting. There’s also a lot of Fracking going on in the Rocky Mountains. It seems like your family travels all over the world, maybe some cultural exchanges? Keeping it light but a little controversy never hurt anyone. Just a thought. Stay true to who you are & the rest will fall in place. Best wishes.
I just wanted to add that some people would probably be turned off by the afore mentioned ideas. But you have such a large audience of world readers, who share a love for food, what better platform then to throw an idea out occasionally & see what type of response it brings. I think we have enough blogs on the superficial. Food is something that unites us, and you do that well.
Another idea…have you tried growing/raising any of your own food? It tends to change the way you eat and also the way you look @ the world. That would be an interesting journey to watch evolve.
Hi Sarah! I agree I think I will need to spread out the times I try some of this new stuff!
I do try and grow a few things when we can!! But living up in the mountains makes it very hard! I wish I could :/
Thanks Sarah!
Hi Sarah!! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment, it means a lot. I would love to possibly inspire you to get out of your flip-flop/boot routine…i need to do the same! As for the more controversial topics, hmm, I have never thought about that. Honestly that is not really my thing and I am not sure I want to get into touchy subjects like that, it could be very dangerous! I love the idea of chatting about cultural exchanges though and like you said, maybe touching on a few little controversial topics could be a good thing. I might to try do a little, but keep it light. Thanks again for reading and the great feedback! Have an awesome weekend! ?
Fair enough, totally understand. But maybe look into Permaculture alittle, you could grow there. Also, as meat eaters, raising our own meat (when possible) makes less demand for conventional/factory farming. Plus you get the added benefit of healthier meat. Not really what you were looking for when you threw this post out there…but just maybe it’ll lead you in a whole new direction.
Hi Sarah, thank you for taking the time to comment. I asked for suggestions and that’s exactly what you gave me, so thank you! I honestly don’t know much about permaculture, but now you gave me a reason to look into – THANKS! Tieghan
Tieghan, you’ve already gotten so many lovely comments, I’m not sure you need yet another. Here’s how I found out about your blog. I was standing in book signing line to meet Jessica (How Sweet It Is). I had decided to start my own blog and was a week away from publishing my first post. I struck up a conversation with the woman in front of me and we started chatting about blogs. I asked her what her favorites were and yours was one of two or three she mentioned. That’s when I checked it out and that’s when I subscribed. I’ve been following ever since. Now that I’ve been blogging for about a year and a half and know what it takes to put out just one post, I am in awe of your content creation rate. I agree with a lot of the feedback you’ve received. Stay true to who you are and do what inspires you. Your core content is wonderful so if you want to retain your core followers I wouldn’t make a complete change. In retail, so often companies decide they’re going to do something completely different and they end up losing their core customer. I think you can test out different additions and see how they work. I love the idea of adding simple recipes. I love the idea of entertaining posts. I can’t remember if it was Harry Potter or Halloween, but that post with the whole layout was fun and really maps out a great way to entertain. It takes alot to put a compelling menu together and those kinds of posts make it easy. As a fellow foodie, I would love to hear about how you come up with your recipes and what inspires you. I love the idea of behind the scenes. A shot of your dad doing the dishes would be great…or when the goats arrive. You have such an interesting family, there’s so many visuals of what it’s like for you in daily life. Having worked in the fashion industry my whole career, I’m sure that would be interesting but only if it was something you really wanted to do. I also agree with the person who said slow down. Give yourself time to think and time to rest. Sometimes even the most passionate endeavors can burn you out if you don’t have some balance. I love the 5 Whys technique Lauren mentioned. I’m going to try that out for myself. In the end, trust your instincts and give yourself time to listen to them.
Hi Ramona! Thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment!!
That story of how you found my blog is awesome!!
I think you’re right, and I don’t want to do any huge changes, maybe just some new fun stuff to mix it up every once in a while. Things like how I come up with my recipes and a little behind the scenes stuff! A shot of my dad doing the dishes! YES!
Thanks so much Ramona! It really helps to receive all this input! ?
First, you are so brave to ask!
Second, I’m all nooooooo on the videos! I even slept on the answer before commenting.
halfbakedharvest is such a comforting place. Like warm milk before bed (metaphorically!) literally, this is one of three blogs I read under the covers every night while husband is asleep next to me. Video would wake him, so I never watch it. And Saturdays I plan my meal prep and video sounds like a stumbling block. I’ve made at least a half dozen of your recipes in my tiny nyc kitchen already this year!
I think this blog is so lovely as is! Have you tried the “5 whys” technique to uncover why you are compelled to “do more”? (This is an actual ‘design thinking’ practice, I didn’t make it up!). Ask yourself “why” and when you come to an answer, ask why again. Question that answer as well, and so on 5x. This should help you identify the real challenge you are solving for, in order to help make any changes you DO pursue the most meaningful and authentic to you.
Btw when my design projects get to stressful, I dream about quitting and moving to the mountains and blogging about homemade marshmallows. Not that I have ever made a marshmellow in my life. If I ask why enough times: because blogs like yours are my perfect zen escape. ( alt answer: because spun sugar and air are actually more tangible than business designs most days! )
Hey Lauren!! You are so sweet! Thank you so much for your kind words I am so happy you love the blog just the it is, yeah!!! 🙂 While I personally love the idea of videos, it’s good to hear your point of view on them! Again, thank you for the kind and encouraging words. Hope you are having a great weekend!
PS. i hope you get to move to the mountains and make all the marshmallows! 🙂
Amazing! I’m always looking for a new way to cook pork shoulder at home and this is making my mouth water!
YAY! I hope you love it Alexe!
Your blog is one of my favorites…I love your recipes (except ones with chia seeds lol) and I love to hear about your life and your family..goats, chickens, snow Asher your brothers your parents…It’s all good and it helps us to know you better. Everything you do is just awesome.
THANK YOU!! That’s all the stuff I love to talk about!! Perfect!! ??
I found your blog around Christmas time this last year. I think it is amazing! Your photography is magazine beautiful. And that you do 6 recipes a week……..awesome! I don’t know how you do it. Lest alone create new recipes, but then photo and blog about each recipe in the great detail you share each day. When do you sleep? I am in absolute awe of your photography skills and your presentation. I have made several of your recipes and my family has enjoyed every one. Deliousness! These carnitas will be on my husband’s plate as soon as I thaw out a pork butt. I would love some behind the scenes stuff, but really anything you share I will read.
Awh, Thank you so much Peggy!
It’s a lot of work, I think I manage it well cause in the end it’s fun to me!
I’m so happy you guys enjoyed everything so far!
I think that I’d like to get into some behind the scenes, so be on the lookout!!?
I enjoy your site because it’s well balanced between food and other talk. Though all of us here like to cook, we probably like to talk while we’re doing so, and gain new cooking expertise along the way. My only suggestion is more along the lines of a preference: more big, one-pot meals!
Re: Coke in carnitas – this is similar to using Dr. Pepper as a marinade for lamb, which is great BBQed, braised, or baked. Same idea: put those sugars to work on the meat instead of on you! There are infinite variations on this theme.
I’ll end w/ a question: boneless or bone-in pork for the carnitas? The bone-in crowd touts cheaper price and deeper flavor over ease of cooking, which makes sense to me. And, cut it into chunks before you cook it, or afterwards? Your thoughts?
Best wishes for continued success in all you do!
Hey Mike!
Thank you so much! I am so excited you enjoy the blog the way it is, but I love the idea of more one-pot meals! 🙂 I like to buy bone in typically and I cut it into chunks before cooking. Let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you love the carnitas! 🙂
I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ll say it again: I really believe you can do no wrong. Everything that you put on the site is gorgeous and tasty and I always feel like I get a glimpse into your life from the little tidbits you share in each post. This is my favorite blog that I follow (and I’m SUPER excited for your cookbook!!!!). However, more Tieghan would be a great thing! More fashion would be awesome! More entertaining, yes! Also, I always love to see “What I ate today”, “What I do in a day”, and favorite internet links posts on other blogs. I support whatever you end up doing with the blog… well, as long as you keep some vegetarian recipes! 🙂
Hi Rachel!! This is so nice! Thank you so so much for the nice words.
I’m super nervous about trying some of the things that have been mentioned! But at some point I think I want to jump in and try them! Especially the fashion and entertainment. This is the first I’ve heard of “what I ate” type stuff, and I think that could be super fun!! So maybe I can try that out to at some point!!
Thanks again Rachel!!
I LOVE this blog! I check it every morning and have cooked tons of your recipes. Whenever I have a special occasion or some down time, I come here to find a new outside-of-the-box recipe. My favorites have been the carne asada chili and the salted caramel cookie tart. I really enjoyed the menu that you put together for Christmas – I would love to see more menus – with recipes of course :), and possibly some entertaining and home decorating tips. Keep doing what you’re doing – you have a unique spin on things and this blog and the recipes really stand out from the crowd!
AWH!! Thank you so much!!
I think the menus are great too so I will be trying to get more of those going again!!
Thank you again for taking the time to comment, and also for the kind words(:
i love your recipes, especially the burgers( best!!!) and desserts you make. as much as we all love helathy recipes, please keep the posts for luxury desserts coming too. i just love your desserts , also some hairstyle posts would be so awseome and makeup turorials if you are into it.
i also love that you post everyday. i look forward to them every morning.
HI!! Thanks so much!! There’s more of all of that coming!!
I’ve never thought about doing tutorials before!! Maybe I can try that out!!
Thanks SO much!! Have a good weekend!
I love my slow cooker and I love carnitas – I am going to have to make this. I have a bottle of cherry coke I bought to make ribs with, could I use that with these as well? Also do you have a recipe for cola ribs?
This looks so delicious Tieghan well done. I personally would like to see some entertaining style posts – I’ll be honest, fashion blogging isn’t really my thing and being in the UK I wouldn’t be able to source much of what you recommended anyway 🙂
Hi!! I think the Cherry Coke would work just as well!! Sadly I don’t have any ribs recipe with Cola):
I’m excited to hear that you’re interested in the entertaining posts!! I like them as well!! I’ll keep the fashion stuff little so it is not too bothersome!!
Thank you!!
Re: Cherry Coke substitute, ANY soft drink that contains REAL sugar – or honey – will work, but anything containing a sugar substitute will not only never caramelize, but will ruin the dish w/ its chemical off-tastes. I’ve used ginger ale with success on chicken, dolled up with leeks, onions, and just a touch of celery. I wonder how cream or grape soda would do???
Hey Mike! Thanks for the tips! I have never used cream or grape soda (nor have I ever even tried them), so I really cannot say. I think anything with a real sugar will work great though. Thank you!
Would love to see fashion posts as well as entertaining ideas. Thanks for all your great recipes.
Awesome! Thanks Celine!! I think its so cool you guys are interested in the fashion side of me!!☺️
Tieghan! First of all, this looks delish! Second, I’d lovelovelove any behind the scenes/life posts or videos! I always really like to hear about the families of the bloggers I follow and their day-to-day life (even when you think it’s boring…), and even better when I get to see or hear it as if I were actually there, ’cause I’m a creepo like that. ? Thirdly, I like your long vids best. The ones where you talk us through the recipe, as well as chatting about random life (see above)…extra bonus points if a sibling makes an appearance, so we can see the people you talk about (again, and probably super-creepy and weird…). ? I also think fashion would be cool, too, as I’m always curious about styles that would look good together, what the latest “thing” is, etc. But whatever makes you happy and energized, that’s the main thing. ?
First of all Thank you!! Al the feedback is amazing!! I’m seriously thinking about trying to get some behind the scenes going! Because as you can tell from my stories… my family can be pretty funny?? As for the videos! At the moment i have a few more quick ones coming! But I want to shoot some more longer ones! I have been getting a lot of people saying they liked them! Im nervous about the fashion incorporation! But i may be trying to get some stuff in there here and there!! Thanks so much hannah!! I really appreciate it!☺️
I don’t respond very often, but I always love reading your blog and have made many recipes from your site, and all have been excellent. You have a natural talent for this, so just keep on keepin’ on, and if you feel the need to expand your horizons on the site, then of course, do so. As long as you are enjoying what you are doing, that is all that truly matters.
Thank you for commenting on this one!! Thanks so much for trusting me to put out good content!! I think I may have to try some new stuff soon!! So please let me know what you think when i do☺️☺️