CARNITAS WALKING TACOS

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Carnitas Walking Tacos image

A walking taco (also known as taco in a bag) is a popular party and concession stand food around here, and it's both fun and convenient since all of the toppings get piled into a bag of chips. Walking tacos are commonly made with a ground beef mixture, but with this recipe I've gone with carnitas, slow-cooked pork, because carnitas tacos are SO GOOD.

Provided by Molly Yeh

Categories     main-dish

Time 5h20m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

One 4- to 5-pound lean boneless pork shoulder
5 cloves garlic, smashed
2 bay leaves
1 medium white onion, cut into large chunks (about 6.6 ounces or 187 grams), plus 1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder (substitute regular chili powder if you prefer)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Pinch ground cloves
Juice of 3 oranges (or 3/4 cup)
Juice of 2 limes (or 1/4 cup), plus a few lime wedges, for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Six 1-ounce bags tortilla chips
Chili Lime Sour Cream, recipe follows, or plain sour cream
2 radishes, thinly julienned
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Green hot sauce, for garnish
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chili powder, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for garnish
Zest of 1 lime

Steps:

  • Place the pork shoulder, garlic, bay leaves, large chunks of onion, ancho chile powder, cumin, cloves, orange juice, lime juice, 1 tablespoon salt, a generous amount of black pepper and 1/2 cup water in the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook until the meat is tender and can easily be shredded with a fork, 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
  • Remove the pork to a large bowl and use two forks to shred. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork and 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the pork is crispy and dark brown, about 15 minutes. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil, pork and 1/2 cup cooking liquid (discard the remaining liquid), another 15 minutes.
  • Open the tortilla chip bags and crush a few of the chips. Gently roll down the tops of the bags about a third of the way. Fill the bags with some dollops of sour cream, then pork, then garnish with the finely chopped onions, radishes, cilantro and a few dashes of hot sauce. Serve with the lime wedges.
  • In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, chili powder, salt and lime zest. Set aside.

TrUeLiNes Status
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I've never made carnitas before, but this recipe made it so easy. The tacos were delicious and I'll definitely be making them again.


Maya Pudasaini
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These carnitas walking tacos were a bit too spicy for me, but my husband loved them. I think next time I'll use less chili powder.


Ijaz Barka
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I wasn't sure how I would like these, but I was pleasantly surprised. The carnitas were delicious and the avocado salsa was a great addition. I'll definitely be making these again.


FINAL AZAAN
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These are so good! I made them for a party and everyone loved them. The carnitas were tender and flavorful, and the avocado salsa was the perfect topping.


Mariama Sesay
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I've made these carnitas walking tacos several times now and they're always a hit. I love that they're so customizable - you can add or remove toppings as you like.


David imoh Edet
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These carnitas walking tacos are a great way to use up leftover carnitas. They're easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser.


Ompfuna Nthambeleni
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I followed the recipe exactly and the carnitas turned out dry and tough. I'm not sure what went wrong.


Matthew Ryan
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These are the best walking tacos I've ever had! The carnitas are perfectly seasoned and the avocado salsa is to die for. I'll be making these again and again.


Nizzy diva
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I made these for dinner last night and my family loved them! The carnitas were tender and juicy, and the whole dish came together in under 30 minutes. Will definitely be making these again.


peter chipasha
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So easy to make and so delicious! I used store-bought carnitas to save time, and they turned out great. The avocado salsa is a must-try.


Arshad Mughal
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These carnitas walking tacos were a hit at my last party! Everyone loved the crispy tortilla chips, flavorful carnitas, and creamy avocado salsa. I'll definitely be making them again.