The post How to Make the Best Carnitas at Home appeared first on Element Deer Valley Blog.
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Carnitas may taste complicated but can be easily made with a good recipe and a quality slow cooker. If you love pulled pork, you're definitely going to want to try the spicier Mexican version. In this crispy carnitas recipe, you get the best of both worlds. With a golden crisp on the outside and tender meat on the inside, you'll have everyone asking for a second helping.
Start with the Marinade
Carnitas demands for the pork to be soaked through with the right ingredients:
- Oregano
- Cumin
- Onion
- Orange juice
- Lime juice
- Garlic
- Bay leaves
- Salt and pepper
This meal really needs time to absorb its flavors. Otherwise, you might as well just make pulled pork sandwiches. The citrus in the recipe, in this case from oranges and limes, will help the meat get that tenderness you crave while the sugars from the soda will help the pork eventually caramelize and crisp up the edges. Use pork shoulder or pork butt to get the best results.
Wait a While
Ideally, it takes up to 10 hours for your slow cooker to transform all the ingredients into the carnitas you'll be dying to eat by the time you walk through the door after a long day at work. Once it's done, remove and shred the pork with a fork, but keep the liquid in the slow cooker. You can transfer the pork to a greased baking sheet, season with a cup of liquid from the slow cooker, and then broil on high for five to 10 minutes.
Serve the Way You Like It
Some people enjoy their carnitas in a burrito with rice, beans, and cheese. Others want it in a salad, topped with sliced avocado and corn. If you have any leftovers, carnitas are perfect as a frozen pizza topping or as a complement to mac and cheese.
There are plenty of places to get carnitas near Phoenix apartments, but there's something valuable about making it yourself. If you want a new kitchen to step up your cooking skills, consider Element at Deer Valley. Contact us today to see how we encourage our community to live their best lives.
The post How to Make the Best Carnitas at Home appeared first on Element Deer Valley Blog.
]]>The post Why You Should Throw More Dinner Parties This Year appeared first on Element Deer Valley Blog.
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Dinner parties are more than just an excuse to get your friends together. They provide an opportunity to show off your cooking skills, exercise your creativity and introduce strangers to their soon-to-be spouses. There are few things more thrilling than a night when you can put aside your stresses and just live in the moment. If you live in Phoenix apartments, here are three reasons to start planning one today.
Out of the Ordinary
Most people are used to being invited over for traditional-style parties where people stand around holding drinks while chatting in selective groups. Unless your friends are master entertainers, dinner parties aren’t always the most popular choice. They can be a lot of work and put pressure on the host or hostess. But people want to attend things that are a little different, and a dinner party can provide just the tweak you need to really spice up the conversation and have some fun.
A Chance to Shine
There’s an art to being a good host or hostess in Phoenix apartments, and just because we live in an age of smartphones doesn’t mean that the art should be lost. Hosting a dinner party gives you a chance to explore new flavors and improve your mastery in the kitchen. And it also teaches you important lessons about time management and relationships — all without feeling like it's a chore or an obligation.
New Conversations
When people step outside their comfort zone, it leads to more lively conversations. It’s at the dinner table where people have a chance to voice their opinion and talk about the things that matter most to them. You can’t dictate or predict the tone of a conversation, but by throwing a dinner party, you give people an opportunity to communicate in a way that they may not experience very often. Who knows what interesting facts you might learn?
The apartments in Phoenix are always more fun when you surround yourself with interesting people you want to learn more about. If you’re looking for a new home with a modern kitchen and more space to host all your friends, give Element at Deer Valley a call today to learn more about our availability.
The post Why You Should Throw More Dinner Parties This Year appeared first on Element Deer Valley Blog.
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