Turkey Carnitas
User Reviews
5.0
183 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
25 mins
-
Cook Time
3 hrs
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Total Time
3 hrs 25 mins
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Servings
6 people
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Calories
510 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mexican
Turkey Carnitas
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I of course use wild turkey here, but a domestic turkey will work just fine. You could also use pheasant, an old chicken, a guinea hen or just go full-on traditional and use pork shoulder. Once you braise the meat and pull it off the bone, it will keep in the fridge for a week. Crisp it up before you serve it. Once you make this, the finished carnitas will keep for a week in the fridge. I usually reheat it in a frying pan with a little oil.
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Ingredients
- 2 to 4 turkey drumsticks, or 2 turkey thighs
- 1 quart turkey or chicken stock
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons oregano, Mexican if possible
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- salt
- 5 tablespoons lard or olive oil
Instructions
- Set the turkey in a large pot, such as a Dutch oven, and add the turkey stock. Add enough water to cover the turkey, then all the remaining ingredients except for the lard. Bring to a simmer and add salt to taste. Cook gently until tender, anywhere from 90 minutes to 4 hours, depending on whether your turkey is store-bought, or, on the extreme end, an old wild tom.
- When it is tender, remove the turkey from the pot and let it cool. Shred the meat off the bones and, if using thighs, shred fairly fine -- remember this will be a filling for tacos or burritos. You can store the meat for up to a week at this point.
- To finish, add the lard to a frying pan and brown the meat as much as you like. I like a mix of soft and crispy, so I lay the meat out in one layer and crisp just one side.
Notes
- I prefer this in soft tacos, with the traditional accompaniments: limes, onions, maybe a hot sauce or two, roasted chiles and cilantro or parsley. A homemade salsa verde is a great sauce here.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
510kcal
(26%)
Carbohydrates
16g
(5%)
Protein
48g
(96%)
Fat
28g
(43%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Cholesterol
160mg
(53%)
Sodium
218mg
(9%)
Potassium
835mg
(24%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
12g
(24%)
Vitamin A
73IU
(1%)
Vitamin C
13mg
(14%)
Calcium
89mg
(9%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 510 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 510kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 16g | 5% |
| Protein | 48g | 96% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 160mg | 53% |
| Sodium | 218mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 835mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 73IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 13mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 89mg | 9% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
183 reviews
Excellent
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