A Calculated Whisk

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Carnitas con huevo

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Carnitas con huevo with avocado crema
 
Try carnitas con huevo–crispy slow-cooked pork with fried eggs–for a hearty and irresistible paleo breakfast. There’s avocado crema involved, too!
 
I’m sorry for the silence here last week! I hadn’t planned on taking a week off from sharing recipes, but suddenly Easter and several deadlines for freelance work and a few other things snuck up on me. I’m back, though, with one of my favorite breakfasts of all time: carnitas con huevo (slow-cooked, crispy pork with an egg on top) with avocado crema.
 
Carnitas con huevo with avocado crema
 
If you’ve by any chance been reading since I started this site in 2013, you may recognize this recipe as one I posted back then during my first attempt at a Whole30. It was long overdue for a reshoot, though. Just for fun, I’ve included one of the original photos below right before the recipe card. I’m constantly working on improving my food photography and styling, but looking back on photos from a few years ago makes me feel really good about how far I’ve come already.

Carnitas con huevo with avocado crema
 
In the original post, I wrote that carnitas are a time investment, but worth it.  Back then I was making the stovetop version, so it took about three hours and lots of checking, or the slow-cooker version that takes all day. Now that I have an Instant Pot, I make my super simple five-ingredient Instant Pot carnitas and it’s just no big deal.
 
This recipe is designed to use leftover carnitas. We’re crisping them up in a hot pan with a little ghee or avo oil, spooning on some avocado crema, and topping it all off with a perfectly cooked egg with a silky yolk and crunchy lace around the edge of the whites. It’s an amazing power breakfast–very low in carbohydrates with a good dose of healthy fats. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have been for the past four years!
 
If you’re in search of more creative breakfast ideas, try this spinach and bacon soufflé or these grain-free carrot cake pancakes with maple whipped cream cheese.
Carnitas con huevo with avocado crema
Carnitas con huevo with avocado crema

Carnitas con huevo

Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

Try carnitas con huevo--crispy slow-cooked pork with fried eggs--for a hearty and irresistible paleo breakfast. There's avocado crema involved, too!

Ingredients

For the cilantro avocado crema:

  • 1 avocado, peeled and pitted
  • Small handful fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk or heavy cream
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Juice of half a lime, or to tase
  • Water as needed

For the carnitas con huevo:

  • 1/4 cup ghee or avocado oil, divided
  • 2 cups leftover carnitas
  • 2 large eggs
  • Sliced radishes, lime wedges, and/or chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

  1. To make the avocado crema, combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or the beaker of your immersion blender. Process until smooth. If desired, add water and/or additional coconut milk to thin out the sauce. Taste and add salt, pepper, and/or lime juice if desired.
  2. To make the carnitas con huevo, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add one tablespoon of ghee. Once the ghee shimmers, add the carnitas in a single layer. Let them cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, until richly browned and crispy on the bottom. Stir, then allow the carnitas to cook for 1-2 more minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer the carnitas to two plates.
  3. Line another plate with paper towels.
  4. Add the remaining ghee to the pan. Once it's hot, tip the pan to one side and add one egg to the pool of hot ghee. Give the egg about 20 seconds to set, then tip the pan to another side and add the second egg. Once the egg whites are starting to brown around the edges, use a spoon to baste the top of the whites with hot oil to help them cook through. Once the whites are opaque and the yolk is done to your liking, transfer the eggs to the plate lined with paper towels and let them rest for about a minute.
  5. To serve, drizzle or dollop the avocado crema onto the carnitas. Top each serving with an egg. Garnish with radishes, lime wedges, and/or cilantro and serve hot.

Notes

*I recommend my five-ingredient instant pot carnitas (there are instructions for the slow cooker, too!). If you're making carnitas just to make this dish, you don't need to broil them after slow-cooking since we're pan-frying here instead.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 368Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 286mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 13g

The nutrition label provided is an estimate for informational purposes only and may not be accurate. I am not a nutritionist or medical professional.

© Becky Winkler
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Gluten free, Grain free, Paleo, Whole30, Breakfast, Pork, Eggs

This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

Comments

  4. Jessica DeMay says

    Wow- I’d say your photography has improved tremendously! Looking back is fun and cringeworthy at the same time 🙂 I also have a carnitas recipe that could use an update. I love how you made the carnitas IP friendly and then of course you topped it with an egg- yum!

    Reply

  13. Michele Spring says

    OMG, I have leftover pork carnitas for lunch today AND I have all the other ingredients in my fridge. Yay! Also, thanks for including your original photo – I love seeing before and after things like this and you’ve definitely come a long way. I think your “now” photography is absolutely gorgeous and up there with the best I’ve seen!

    Reply

  16. Renee says

    I could eat this for breakfast lunch or dinner! Yum! I am one of those can’t do cilantro people though! Maybe swap it for parsley, right?

    Reply

    • Becky says

      Thank you, Lauren! Ben went on a painting spree with the furniture for our new place and was kind enough to incorporate my favorite color!

      Reply

  19. Julia Mueller says

    Aren’t re-shoots so refreshing? I don’t do them enough, but it’s always so nice to re-make your own classic recipes and give them a lil’ facelift. Plus, I’d take any excuse to make carnitas! This recipe looks marvelous! My pork-loving bf would go to town on that shredded bliss!

    Reply

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