Big Poppa's Copper Pot Carnitas

Steps

1. 1Prep. Slice the pork shoulder into 4-inch chunks. Season the chunks with a generous amount of Big Poppa’s Jallelujah Jalapeño Seasoning.
2. 2Fire up. On a gas grill, place the copper pot (this is traditional but alternatively you can use any large pot or Dutch oven) on the grill grate over a burner. Add the lard to the pot. Alternatively, you can heat the pot on the kitchen stove.
3. 3Allow the lard to heat over medium-low until it reaches 250°F to 275°F (about 121–135°C). This should take around 10 minutes. If it goes higher, dial down the gas or move the pot off of the flames onto the indirect side.
4. 4Cook. Carefully place the seasoned pork cubes into the hot lard. Ensure that no children are around while working with the hot oil. (The temperature of the lard will drop after adding the pork, but should gradually come back to 275°F/135°C.)
5. 5Allow the pork to cook for approximately 2 hours at 275°F/135°F. Stir the pork every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking and to prevent sticking. During the cooking process, keep an eye on the lard’s temperature to ensure it doesn’t become too hot or too cool.
6. 6After around 2 hours of cooking, use a meat probe to check the internal temperature of the pork. You’re aiming for a temperature between 170-190°F (77-88°C).
7. 7Squeeze the juice of the 2 oranges into the lard, and add the squeezed halves of 1 orange only. Pour the Coca-Cola and Chef Merito’s Fajita Marinade into the lard.
8. 8Return the temperature of the lard to 275°F and continue cooking until the center of the chunks reaches about 212°F (100°C). This will take from 45 to 60 minutes more. The meat should be fully cooked and tender.
9. 9Serve. Once the carnitas are cooked, carefully remove them from the hot oil using a spider, slotted spoon, or tongs. Place the cooked pork on a cutting board and use forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.