PREPARE BEFORE DEPARTURE: This is a great one-hand-grab-n-go meal that can be made ahead of your cruise…refrigerate or freeze and save for your adventure. The “adventure” this meal was intended for unfortunately consisted of being hunkered down in a cabin, listening to NOAA weather. For 4 days. Been there?

Pork Carnitas

3 lbs pork shoulder roast, cut into 2″ chunks
2 jalapeños, sliced in half
6-8 cloves of garlic, crushed lightly
2 onions, quartered
1 orange, quartered
1 stick cinnamon
1 tablespoon allspice berries
2 teaspoons peppercorns
2 teaspoons cumin seed
Pinch of anise seed
1 tablespoon oregano
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
3-4 cups of water

Chimichangas

2 pears, core removed and chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 cup diced queso fresco
10 large flour tortillas
6+ cups vegetable oil
20 or so toothpicks

Prep all of your ingredients. Chunk up your pork, onions, jalapeños and oranges. Smash your garlic. Throw these all into your largest pot. This is where a pressure cooker would come in real handy. Add about 3 cups of water and the rest of the ingredients. The amount of water should not cover over the pork and ingredients.

Bring to a boil then take down to a simmer. Simmer for about 1 1/2-2 hours; add water as needed. Carnitas will be done when the pork flakes with a fork.

Once done, let cool a bit and strain, catching the juice in a separate bowl. Pull out the oranges, jalapeños, onions, and cinnamon stick and discard. You should be left with some very well flavored pork.

Add some of the left over broth to the pork and let cool for about 15 minutes. Add the chopped pears, diced queso fresco and pine nuts to the braised meat. Set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large deep pan. (probably the pan you just used to make the canitas)

Meanwhile, heat your galley oven to a low temperature – about 250 degrees. Put your tortillas on a plate covered with foil or just wrap them in foil. Stick them in the oven and let them warm up until they are pliable, about 10 minutes.

Place a couple spoonfuls of meat mixture in a line down the center of each tortilla.

Fold into a burrito. Fold the ends in first and then the sides. Secure with a toothpick at each end. You will learn the hard way if you don’t secure with toothpicks. I’m speaking from experience. But if you have the secret to frying stuffed burritos without toothpicks and without them falling apart please share with Galley Pirates!

Your oil should sizzle fast when you drop a tiny piece of meat into it. With metal tongs, slowly slide each burrito into the hot oil. Let simmer for 5 minutes or so then gently turn over to fry the other side.

Remove with tongs onto paper towels. They are ready to eat now or you can refrigerate or freeze until needed for your cruise.

Now…back to the cruise. Our refrigerated Pork Carnitas Chimichangas were reheated in a 350 degree galley oven for about 20 minutes. Today’s meal was accompanied by guacamole and a salad while Subtropical Storm Ana hovered past the Port of Charleston. A storm is a  beautiful sight when you’re safe in a harbor.

Gnarly outside. Cozy and warm in the cabin. The perfect atmosphere for a cruising meal, even when you’re safe in a marina!