Idaho Potato Commission

Idaho Potato Commission


Casuelitas & Carnitas



Recipe courtesy of Todd Downs, FS Insights, Fort Wayne, IN

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients


Casuelitas
  • 4 ounces  lard
  • 4 cups masa harina flour for tamales
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 4 cups mashed Idaho® potatoes
  • 4 cups queso quesadilla cheese, grated
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Twang Brand lime salt
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic salt
Carnitas
  • 6 pounds pork Boston butt (boneless)
  • 1 each Sazon Goya seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
  • 1 cup blood orange juice
  • 2 cups orange juice
  • 1 cups lime juice
  • 1/2 cup chopped garlic
  • 4 cups canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons chipotle pepper powder
  • 1/2 cup tomato paste olive oil
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce


Directions


Casuelitas
  1. Combine the lard, masa, salt and baking powder in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. 
  2. Slowly add the warm water, mix well until the mixture is smooth 
  3. Add the remaining ingredients mix well. 
  4. Shape the dough into cups, fry at 375ºF, until crisp. 
  5. Serve with either Shredded Pork Carnitas (recipe below) or roasted grilled vegetables with crumbled Mexican Cotija cheese and garnished with chopped cilantro.
Carnitas
  1. Trim pork shoulder, cut into 2" cubes 
  2. Combine remaining ingredients - marinate pork (refrigerated) overnight in this mixture.
Next Day
  1. Blot pork off - preheat oven to 300ºF
  2. Roast in a roasting pan with 1 cup of marinade for ½ hour - cover with parchment and then foil, add tomato paste mix well.
  3. Continue cooking 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours until tender 
  4. Cool slightly - then shred with 2 forks
  5. When all pork is shredded add juices from pan to shredded pork mix, mix well.
  6. At serving time: lightly brown shredded pork in a little olive oil.
  7. Mix in the BBQ sauce
  8. Season to taste.