Pork Carnitas and Chicken

[cowgirl]

Combining two cooks in one thread. Sorry for so many pics!

I used the horizontal woodburner for some chicken quarters.

Seasoned and loaded.

While the chicken was chugging along, I decided to do some pork carnitas.

Set up my fancy cooker and started the manteca.

cubed a pork butt and seasoned with some of my cold smoked salt, pepper, garlic, onion blend.. https://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/2021/03/cold-smoking-and-canning-butter.html

added about one cup of water to the lard and then the cubed pork..

While the pork carnitas cooked, I kept an eye on the chicken and added a log when needed.

Gave the pork a stir every so often..

Pondered if I should shimmy up the tree with a chainsaw or tannerite.
The storm damaged limbs need to be gone. lol

The pork finished first..

I ate several while hot but had to try some in a tortilla..

The pork was crisp on the outside and tender in the center. I topped with homemade hatch chile salsa, pico and trimmins.

The chicken...

I had to taste it.

The wood burner cooked evenly and I was happy with the outcome. I remembered why it is my favorite cooker. :-D
It was a relaxing afternoon!

Nothing fancy but thanks for looking!

 

[sudsandswine]

I started making carnitas in lard and it is definitely the best way to do it. Chicken quarters look great too, as always :thumb:

 

[Smoke on Badger Mountain]

Oh Dang! That looks so good Jeanie! I just ate and I’m hungry all over again. Oh, and never apologize for the number of photos unless there are only a few. Thanks for sharing.

 

[sudsandswine]

PS - I vote for tannerite

 

[cowgirl]

I started making carnitas in lard and it is definitely the best way to do it. Chicken quarters look great too, as always :thumb:

Thanks Suds! Isn't the lard tasty! They are so crisp, yet tender in the center. I could eat em like popcorn. lol I bet your carnitas are outstanding!
Thanks so much for the kind comment. Hope you're having a great week! :-D

 

[cowgirl]

Oh Dang! That looks so good Jeanie! I just ate and I’m hungry all over again. Oh, and never apologize for the number of photos unless there are only a few. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Josh!! :-D It was a nice day. I need to cook more often. lol
Hope all is well on your end of the world!

 

[cowgirl]

PS - I vote for tannerite

Thanks! That's what I'm leaning toward. :laugh:

 

[ronbrad62]

:shock:
Not one, but two Cowgirl cooks to drool over!!! Everything looks amazing and I have to agree, you apologizing for too many pictures is like Hank Aaron apologizing for too many home runs. Keep them coming, young lady!

 

[ShadowDriver]

Amen.

It's been quite a while since I caught one of your cook threads. Great to see you absolutely crush it again.

Thanks for taking us along for the journey. Looks delicious!

 

[cowgirl]

:shock:
Not one, but two Cowgirl cooks to drool over!!! Everything looks amazing and I have to agree, you apologizing for too many pictures is like Hank Aaron apologizing for too many home runs. Keep them coming, young lady!

:laugh: Thank you Ron!! I appreciate your support. I never know how many pics are too many. I'm used to posting on my blog. lol
Hope you are having a fantastic week!! :-D

 

[cowgirl]

Amen.

It's been quite a while since I caught one of your cook threads. Great to see you absolutely crush it again.

Thanks for taking us along for the journey. Looks delicious!

Thanks so much for the kind comment, Shadow!
I'm behind in posting cooks but my garden is doing well. lol
Guess my priorities will change when winter hits.
Hope your summer is going well! :-D

 

[SMOKE FREAK]

Jeanie that's a whole buncha chicken. A whole buncha great lookin chicken.

I guess I need to look into carnitas. Sounds like something I could enjoy.

 

[cowgirl]

Jeanie that's a whole buncha chicken. A whole buncha great lookin chicken.

I guess I need to look into carnitas. Sounds like something I could enjoy.

Thanks Craig! You do need to fry up some carnitas. They're bout like fried pork belly and chicharrones combined. lol
I used some of the chicken for gumbo.
Hope all is well in KS. Good to see ya... :-D

 

[Barefoot BBQ]

Hey Jeanie,
Another fine looking cook. That’s a bunch of chicken!!
I’m curious about adding water to the lard. What is the reason/need?

 

[cowgirl]

Hey Jeanie,
Another fine looking cook. That’s a bunch of chicken!!
I’m curious about adding water to the lard. What is the reason/need?

Thanks Barry!
The water slows down the cook. The pork cooks slower and renders more lard and becomes pretty tender. It's better, imo, than just a straight lard fry. The water eventually cooks off.
I made smoked chicken, sausage, tasso, andouille gumbo with some of it. It came out pretty tasty. :-D
Hope all is well with you. Dove season started today, hope you were able to get your limit if you went! :-D

 

[bbqwizard]

Sure looks great. I bet the flavors were amazing!

 

[cowgirl]

Sure looks great. I bet the flavors were amazing!

Thanks Phillip! I was happy with the outcome on both....but I was pretty hungry. :-D

 

[16Adams]

Sitting here drinking coffee in the predawn hours with an occasional drip of rain hitting the skylight, Scrolling your feast.
Awesome

 

[ModelMaker]

Good stuff, kid.
Ed

 

[halfcocked]

Looks delicious. You must have a small army to feed.