Introduction
If you've read our ebook, Learn to Cook Any Meat Well, you've come across Abby's Pork Carnitas recipe. It's delicious. And it's easy. You should definitely try it.
With a pork shoulder roast thawing in our freezer during Hurricane Helene, lots of pecan wood coals from our wood stove, and a bucket of fresh peppers and tomatoes from a neighbor, I decided to try a smoky twist on the carnitas recipe.
Instead of using my "go to" seasoning for a smoked pork shoulder, Busted Butt, I mixed up a Latin America inspired blend.
Some tips for success
- Salt in advance. If you can, apply salt about 24 hours before cooking. 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound or 1/4 teaspoon of fine table or sea salt per pound.
- Don't rush it. While the pork is cooked safely at 160F, it will be best if you get to 200F - 206F. Just over 200F is where all the connective tissue really begins to melt and you get a perfectly tender, juicy smoked pork shoulder.
- Keep your cooking temp in the 225F - 250F range.
Ingredients
- 3-6 LB Boston Butt or Pork Shoulder Roast
- Vinegar-based hot sauce, preferably a Latin American one
- Salt
- Chili powder
- Cumin powder
- Onion powder
- Ginger powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground black pepper
- Fresh or dried oregano*
- Fresh or dried basil*
*Use half the amount of dried as you would of fresh.
Process
- Salt your pork shoulder, preferably the day before you plan to cook. Leave it in the fridge until about an hour before smoking.
- Heat your smoker to 225F to 250F.
- Mix the spices in the following ratio (scale up or down based on the size of your roast): 2 part chili, 1 part cumin, 1 part onion, 1 part pepper, 1 part oregano, 1/2 basil, 1/2 part ginger, 1/4 part cinnamon.
- Example: 2 tbsp chili, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp onion, 1 tbsp pepper, 1 tbsp fresh oregano, 1/2 tbsp fresh basil, 1/2 tbsp ginger, 1/4 tbsp cinnamon.
- Add a pinch or two of salt to your spice mix so there is a touch of salt in the smoky "bark" that forms on the outside of your roast.
- Pat dry your pork shoulder. Then smear hot sauce over the surface.
- Now generously sprinkle your spice mixture and pat it/rub it in to form a coat around the entire roast.
- Place the roast, fat side up, on your preheated smoker and set a dish or bowl made of foil beneath it to catch the drippings.
- After about 6-9 hours, you should have a dark colored pork shoulder with an internal temp of 200F - 206F. The bone(s) should glide right out from the meat without any tugging or sticking.
- Pull the meat into little chunks, place it in a cast iron and pour the fat drippings over the meat to lightly crisp the edges.
- Serve with corn or flour tortillas, fresh salsa, beans, slaw, or whatever sides you prefer.