December 10, 2025
How To Cook With Chestnuts: Carnitas with Chestnut Mole-Style Sauce
Another recipe from the United Chestnuts Test Kitchen .
It’s about to be super cold outside here in Western Kentucky and I wanted to make something comforting for the team planting chestnut trees in the orchards. How about a Picnic Roast Carnitas w Chestnut Mole Sauce?! I am using pork from Pick n Grin Farm in Bowling Green, Kentucky and fresh chestnuts from EBB Farms. I par boiled the chestnuts and then froze them. Worked perfectly in my sauce. Here are a few guidelines. Highly recommend this meal!!
🥘 Ingredients
For the Picnic Roast Carnitas
- 1 pork picnic roast (4–6 lbs), cut into large chunks
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 orange, halved (juice + add rinds)
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder or smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1–2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup broth or water
Optional add-ins:
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup cilantro stems
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
For the Chestnut Mole
- 1 cup cooked chestnuts (roasted, boiled, or thawed)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup chicken broth (thin with more as needed)
- 1–2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar (optional)
Optional boosters:
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
- ¼ cup toasted pepitas or sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
1. Make the Carnitas
Preheat the oven
- Set your oven to 300°F.
- This low temperature allows the pork to get tender without drying out.
Season the pork
- Place your pork chunks on a cutting board or large plate.
- Sprinkle on the salt, black pepper, chili powder, and cumin.
- Use your hands to rub the seasoning into all sides of the meat.
(If your hands get messy, that means you’re doing it right.)
Build the cooking pot
- Place a Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot on the counter.
- Add the quartered onion and 4 whole garlic cloves to the bottom.
These act as a “flavor cushion” under the meat. - Place the seasoned pork on top of the onion and garlic.
Add liquids + aromatics
- Pour 1 cup orange juice directly over the pork.
- Pour in 1 cup chicken broth (or water) along the sides of the pot.
Note: You want liquid surrounding the meat, but not drowning it. - Add your 2 bay leaves.
- Optional: add 1 splash of apple cider vinegar for brightness.
Cover and cook
- Place the lid on the pot. If using foil instead, wrap tightly so no steam escapes.
- Put the pot into the oven and cook for 2½–3 hours.
How to know it’s ready:
- A fork should slide into the pork with almost no resistance.
- If it still feels firm, put it back in for another 20–30 minutes.
Shred the pork
- Carefully remove the pot from the oven.
- Use tongs or a large spoon to transfer the pork onto a cutting board or baking sheet.
- Use two forks to pull the meat apart into shreds.
Remove any extra-large fat pieces (some fat is good for flavor).
Crisp the meat
- Spread the shredded pork in a single, even layer on a baking sheet.
- Spoon 3–4 tablespoons of the cooking liquid over the top to keep it juicy.
- Place under the broiler for 5–8 minutes, watching closely.
- Edges should look brown, crisp, and slightly caramelized.
- If you want extra crisp, flip the pork and broil 1–2 more minutes.
2. Make the Chestnut Mole-Style Sauce
Cook the onion and garlic
- In a medium skillet, heat 1–2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and cook 3–4 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
- Add the 3 cloves garlic and cook 1 more minute, stirring so it doesn’t burn.
Add seasonings
- Add the tomato paste, cumin, Mexican oregano, cinnamon, and chipotle in adobo.
- Stir for 1 full minute.
This “blooms” the spices and makes the sauce richer.
Pile in the chestnuts
- Add the 1 cup roasted or boiled chestnuts.
- Stir to coat them in the seasoning mixture.
Add liquid and simmer
- Pour in 1½ cups pork cooking liquid OR chicken broth.
- Stir well and heat until lightly bubbling.
- Let simmer 5–7 minutes, which softens the chestnuts and blends the flavors.
Blend the sauce
- Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender (or use an immersion blender).
- Blend until completely smooth, about 30–60 seconds.
- If it’s too thick, add a splash of broth.
Finish the sauce
- Stir in 1 Tbsp lime juice.
- Taste and add salt as needed.
- Optional: add 1–2 tsp cocoa powder or espresso for a darker mole note.
3. Combine & Serve
Option A: Keep Them Separate
- Spoon carnitas into warm tortillas.
- Drizzle the chestnut mole-style sauce over the top.
- Add cilantro, radish, onions, avocado — anything you like.
Option B: Mix Before Crisping
- Toss the shredded pork with the mole sauce until coated.
- Spread on a baking sheet.
- Broil again for 3–5 minutes until sticky, crispy, and caramelized.