This
week we relocated to New Haven, Connecticut and left Holland, Michigan, our home
for 10 wonderful years. It was bittersweet. While we are excited to start a new
chapter in our life as a family, it is truly sad to leave behind a place that
was truly our first home after we got married. There were so many memories both
sweet and sad that made our stay in Holland truly memorable. For this post, I
won’t dwell on this so much as I will make another one – pure reflections on
the 10 years we had in Michigan.
This
particular post is more like our regular foodie post. Though I write this in
honor of our church family and friends who came over to help us move. Going
through all the stress of moving, we were carried through by the unselfish dedication
we got from our friends who took the time to help us pack our stuff into boxes
and eventually loading them into a huge trailer for hauling. We didn’t want to
just make them help us without rewarding them with some yummy food so I made
this delicious Slow Cooker Carnitas. You may think, it’s crazy for me to cook
while we were in the midst of a big move. But that is exactly what I did and
because this is such a super easy recipe (just dump it all in the crock pot),
it was no trouble at all. I am glad they all totally enjoyed it. So whether you
are planning a big move yourself or just need an easy-peasy recipe that can
feed and truly please a crowd – I highly suggest that you try this. This is now
a favorite for our future gathering with family and friends.
Ingredients
6-7 lbs Pork Shoulder Blade Roast (Boston Butt)
2 Onions, chopped
1/2 cup Tomato Salsa*
1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground Cumin
2 teaspoons dried Oregano
4 whole Cloves
3 Bay leaves
1 1/4 cup Water
3 teaspoons Salt or to taste
2 teaspoons freshly ground black Pepper or to taste
*Choose the heat level you prefer. I use the Trader Joe's brand but feel free to use your favorite.
Procedure
Place the onions at the bottom of the slow cooker.
Place the pork roast on top and add the rest of the ingredients.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours or 5 hours on high (length of time depends on your slow cooker).
Shred the meat. Serve with either soft or crunchy tacos with some salsa, chopped cilantro, cheese or sour cream on the side! Perfect for any gathering!
If you wish to print the recipe, there's a print-friendly icon at the end of the post. Click on the "remove images box" for easy printing.
Congratulations on your move! This post reminds me I have to use my slow cooker more often, the meals are always so comforting, I'm sure it was nice to have a home cooked heal in the midst of your move!
ReplyDeleteYes, it truly was. I hope you enjoy this and thank you so much for stopping by. :)
DeleteThis looks delish!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy! I hope you get to try it. :)
DeleteThis looks fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI hope Connecticut is still treating you well! I'm sure this recipe came in handy during the long winter - it looks amazing! I'm a big fan of Chipotle.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your move! I grew up in Connecticut (farther north of New Haven) but know that there is a lot to do in the New Haven area - plus you are now so close to New York City! Carnitas are one of my all-time favorites - I've got to try your recipe!
ReplyDeleteOh, how we love Chipotle and the carnitas is my favorite! Great recipe, Abby. Good luck in your new home :)
ReplyDeleteI love Chipotle and making burrito rice bowls. Must try this!
ReplyDeleteTomorrow we take our cockapoo, Mitzie, back to the vet to have her reevaluated since she was diagnosed with heart failure. She's on 4 meds now. We are sad, but she's given us much love over the 9 1/2 yrs...to the point lol , this is a great recipe to place in the crock pot as we don't know how long we will be at the vet and last week, she was there all day, with us not stopping for take out, but I threw together a quick dinner instead. Now I am planning! AND I actually have a pork butt that I didn't freeze from the market a few days ago which needs to be used or frozen. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteOh sorry to hear about Mitzie and hope all goes well at the vet. Hope you enjoy this dish as well! Take care!
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