Part 4/10:
Key to her recipe are fresh orange and lime juices, which balance the richness of the pork with bright citrus flavors. While searing the meat, she prepares to deglaze the pan with these juices, capturing all the savory bits, and sets aside some orange halves for later. The citrus not only enhances flavor but adds a fresh, vibrant note typical of traditional carnitas.
Slow-Cooking to Tenderness
Once the meat is seared and topped with citrus and aromatics, she assembles everything into the crockpot. She adds quartered onions, bay leaves, and the extracted citrus juices, along with water, to create a flavorful braising liquid.