Orange Jalapeno Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Serves 8
The flavors are intense and yet bright. I use a can of Ginger Ale as the cooking liquid, and huge, hot jalapenos to flavor the meal.Serve this meat with other sauces or alone over rice.

Ingredients:

3 lb pork butt roast, trimmed of tough white areas and a lot of the heavy fat ends, and cut into small fits-sized portions.
I ended up with about 2 ½ lbs to cook
5 cloves garlic, cut into in big chunks
½ large navel orange, cut into 5 wedges
2 huge jalapeno’s seeds removed and sliced
½ large yellow onion, sliced into strips
3 T olive oil
1 t black pepper
2 t+ kosher salt
Pinch of saffron
¼ C red wine vinegar
1 can Vernors Ginger Ale

Direction:

• Prep all the ingredients first by chopping the onion, garlic, jalapeno and orange and placing in a separate bowl. Ina large slow cooker place the meat chunks in first. Then cover with the vegetables and the orange segments.Drizzle generously with the olive oil and salt and pepper and using your hands toss to coat thoroughly. Add the ginger ale, and stir to blend. Then add the saffron and a little more salt if you would like.
• Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, and high for 1 ½ hours. Or about 7-8 on low. Check after 7.Remove the oranges, squeezing out the juice as you remove. Now remove the large chunks of meat and using two forks, shred the pork.Then put the pork back into the liquid. Store with all of the liquid to keep it moist. If desired, you can use the liquid to make a gravy for later.
• TO SERVE: Spread over rice and ladle liquid on top and serve with your favorite vegetable. Or serve inside a tortilla with cheese, beans, some cilantro and a bit of sliced red onion, covering all with enchilada sauce.