)We are a little more than a week away from Cinco de Mayo which is, in my opinion, one of the best reasons to throw a get-together on a random day in May. Tacos? Margs? Sign. Me. Up. I’m throwing together a Cinco de Mayo spread, and Zingerman’s is here to help.
For those of you not in The Know, Zingerman’s Deli is an Ann Arbor establishment. THE Ann Arbor Establishment. While the ZCOB (Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, that is) has expanded beyond the Deli, I’d argue that the Deli is the heart of it. It’s the OG.
(If you’re in town and head over for one of their famous sammies, #48 is my personal fave).
Anyway, I got the opportunity to sample one of their monthly butcher boxes and it came packed with all the things I needed to throw a Cinco de Mayo shindig – and feed me for a few weeks after. I also grabbed a few other items in their specialty grocery section to round out my spread and ended up with a pretty perfect menu.
But first, let’s talk about the box. Zingerman’s Deli, in partnership with local Detroit butcher Marrow, offers this monthly subscription box in two sizes. It contains not only the freshest cuts of high-quality meats, but also a variety of products from the ZCOB, other local Michigan partners and small businesses from around the country. The Nosher Box contains 4 pounds of fresh meat ($125) and the Fresser, 7 pounds ($175) and can be bought as a one-off or in 3 or 6 month subscriptions. And if you’re lacking inspo, it also comes with a few recipes, tips and stories to spark some.
This month’s Fresser box came with the following:
- Pork Carnitas
- Beef Chuck Eye Steak
- Pork Ramen Broth
- Bacon, Egg and Cheese Pork Sausage
- Dry Aged Ground Beef
- Zingerman’s Bakehouse Farm Bread
- Dunbarton Blue Cheese
- Mycopia Mushroom Chef’s Sampler
- Loukanika Salami
- Zingerman’s Delicatessen Roasted Cauliflower & Potato Soup
- Beef Kefta Sausage
- Lard
- Marrow Bacon
- Sal Marinho fine sea salt
- There’s a lot to love.
As you can see, this gave me all the raw ingredients to form the base of menu for May 5th. Want to see what I made? Let’s dish.
- Easy Ground Beef Tacos
- Steak Tacos (chuck steaks seasoned with Guerrero Spice Blend from the Deli)
- Slow Cooker Carnitas Nachos (recipe below)
- Mixed Mushroom Tacos (seasoned with Oaxacan Spice Blend from the Deli)
- Spicy Black Beans (seasoned with chile pasilla oaxaca)
- Margaritas
- Corn tortillas (corn, not flour– fight me on this)
- Shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, chips, salsa, cilantro, onions and all the toppers.
- Tres Leches Bread Pudding (recipe coming soon!)
The box offerings change each month and make meal planning SO much easier. Whether you’re throwing a summer barbecue, love to have the freezer stocked at the ready or just need a little help taking the guesswork out of dinner, this is the perfect way to get fresh, locally-sourced ingredients at your door. The butcher boxes are available locally only, and can be delivered in town or picked up at the Deli the third Saturday of the month. If you’re in the AA/Detroit area, I’d suggest you order ASAP- they often sell out.
Now, it’s time to eat.
Pork Carnitas
Slow cooker pork carnitas are part of an easy and delicious Cinco de Mayo spread.
Ingredients
- For the rub:
- 1 TB dried oregano
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 TB olive oil
- For the pork:
- 1 lb pork shoulder, cubed
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, deseeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 pint lard, melted
Directions
- Step 1 Combine the rub ingredients and rub all over pork shoulder. Season with salt.
- Step 2 Place pork in a slow cooker, along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Step 3 Cook low for 5-6 hours, until the pork is tender and can easily be shredded. Remove from the pot and place in a bowl. Set aside.
- Step 4 Reserve the juices in the crock pot and place in a separate container.
- Step 5 Heat 1 TB olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Spread the pork in a thin layer in the pan – but careful to not crowd it! Working in batches if your pan is too small, drizzle some of the saved juices over the meat. Wait until the juices start to evaporate and the meat starts to crisp.
- Step 6 Give it a flip to let crisp on the second side. Add more juice as necessary, and set aside the rest for another use.
- Step 7 Serve with warm tortillas and all your favorite taco fixings.
This post was sponsored by Zingerman’s Deli. All opinions and ramblings are mine alone. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support THB!