Taco Fever:

It's official. I have now fallen to one of the worst epidemics to sweep the nation this summer. Hard. I have the taco fever. It's catching--and spreading to bloggers all over the nation. Even the giant psuedo mexican corporation that is Taco Bell isn't immune. For the record, I, like Allison, blame Taqueria Mercado for a significant portion of my taco fever. But that's a post for another day.

I would say at least once a week, my day progresses as follows.
I get up, and want tacos for breakfast. Carnitas tacos, specifically. I get dressed and walk to work, probably glancing mournfully in the direction of taqueria mercado.

I arrive at work and begin doing various paralegal tasks, all the while my mind looping on one insistent thought.

I file paperwork. I want tacos.

I prep pleadings. Tacos. TACOS.

I call the appeals Court. TACOTACOTACOTACOTACOOOO!!!

As you can imagine, this makes it difficult to concentrate. Somehow, though a tremendous surge of will, I manage not to start spacing out and drooling on my keyboard.

By the time dinner hits, the impulse cannot be denied. Luckily, on some of those days, David and I make carnitas tacos at home. With this recipe, there are a lot of leftovers, so we usually have plenty for lunch the next day to satisfy any leftover taco compulsions.

This recipe has a lot of tasty flavors going on--including the two bottles of Dos Equis Amber. If you don't have any Dos Equis, any low hopped amber will probably do. Also, we highly recommend using the bacon fat. What, you don't have a jar (or two) of bacon fat sitting around in your fridge? Time to remedy that. Stat.

Carnitas:

3 lb. Pork shoulder, bone-in (a.k.a Boston butt)
2 sm. Onions, julienned
15 oz. Tomatoes, canned whole peeled, crushed with hands
1 med. Green bell pepper, seeded and julienned
3 lg. cloves Garlic, peeled, left whole
2 bottles Beer (Dos Equis Amber)
2 pcs. Chipotle en Adobo
1 Tbsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Bacon fat

Brown the pork on all sides in 1 tbsp. of bacon fat. Put all other ingredients in a slow cooker, making sure chipotles and garlic cloves are fully submerged, and salt is fully dissolved in liquid. Place the meat on top. Set the slow cooker on high and time for 6 hours.

Shred the carnitas and place shredded meat on a large, flat baking sheet, adding the vegetables that have been slowcooked.

Broil in the oven until crispy, so you get those tasty, burnt end flavors.

Our cheese recommendation? Beecher's Just Jack from Seattle.

We made black beans, which are a work in progress. I thought they were good, but David is still tweaking the recipe. We use the leftover braising liquid to make some accompanying, especially delicious rice.

Adios!