Carnitas a la Roldan

Carnitas

4-5-pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4-5-inch chunks, trim excess fat
1/4 cup canola or frying oil
1 Mexican beer
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 Tablespoon cayenne chile powder
1 Tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Teaspoon ground cumin
3 bay leaves
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly-sliced

1. Heat the oven to 350.

2. Combine salt, cayenne, ancho, paprika, cumin and sugar in a bowl
until ingredients are well mixed.

3. Pat pork pieces dry with paper towels.

4. Rub the pieces of pork shoulder all over with rub.

5. Heat the oil in a large oven safe pot set on the stovetop till it
just starts smoking, turn heat down a fraction then Fry the pieces of
pork  in a single layer until very well-browned before flipping them
around.  Cook them in batches so the pork isn't crowded

6. Once all the pork is browned, remove them from the pot and dab up
the excess oil with paper towels or a kitchen towel.

7. Pour in beer, scraping the bottom of the pan with a flat-edged
utensil to release all the tasty brown bits.

8. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and garlic to the pan.

9. Add the pork and add enough beer and/or water so the pork pieces are 2/3rd’s
submerged in liquid.

10. Braise in the oven uncovered for 3½ hours, turning the pork a few
times during cooking, until much of the liquid is evaporated and the
pork is falling apart and crispy on the outside

11. Shred pork into bite-sized pieces discarding any obvious big
chunks of fat and pouring off any remaining liquid (it's likely all
fat at this point, don't worry, should be plenty of fat
left in the tasty meat!)

Serve w/ chopped onion and cilantro, favorite salsa, hot sauce and  tortillas