Carnitas
Literally it means “little meats” in Spanish. It can be made from beef, but is almost always made from pork shoulder. Look for “Boston butt”,”picnic ham”, or country style ribs. None of these are from the butt,ham, or ribs: they're all from the shoulder area of the hog. In addition to being very economical cuts, they also have great flavor. The downside is you have braise them for a long time to render some of the fat and to break down connective tissue. Yeah I know the half and half in this recipe might seem odd, but it just adds a little bit of a glaze to the meat, and is really quite nice. Hey, some recipes call that you simmer the pork in lard like confit, so I'm doing you a favor with just some measly half and half.
Serve with some fresh tortillas, shredded cabbage, smashed avocado with lime and salt, and a splash of salsa for tacos that are just awesome. No photos 'cause I was starving and just had to eat these. I plan on using any leftovers for tamale fillings tomorrow. So we'll see.