Best 6 Tacos De Carnitas Recipes

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Tacos de Carnitas: A Mexican Fiesta in Every Bite

Tacos de carnitas, a quintessential Mexican dish, tantalizes taste buds with its tender, succulent pork filling, nestled in warm tortillas and adorned with a vibrant array of toppings. This recipe collection takes you on a culinary journey, showcasing three distinct variations of tacos de carnitas, each offering a unique flavor profile.

1. Tacos de Carnitas Michoacanas:

Embark on a trip to the heart of Michoacán, Mexico, with this traditional recipe. Pork shoulder, slow-cooked in a blend of aromatic spices, transforms into fall-off-the-bone perfection. Serve the carnitas in warm corn tortillas, accompanied by a zesty salsa roja, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime for an authentic Mexican experience.

2. Tacos de Carnitas en Salsa Verde:

For those who prefer a tangy twist, the Tacos de Carnitas en Salsa Verde are a delightful option. Pork shoulder is braised in a rich, green tomatillo salsa, infusing it with a vibrant flavor. Top the tacos with creamy guacamole, crumbled queso fresco, and a sprinkling of chopped onion for a harmonious blend of textures and tastes.

3. Tacos de Carnitas al Pastor:

Inspired by the flavors of Lebanese shawarma, the Tacos de Carnitas al Pastor offer a unique fusion experience. Pork shoulder is marinated in achiote paste, pineapple, and a blend of spices, then roasted on a vertical spit, resulting in tender, flavorful meat. Serve the tacos with grilled pineapple, pickled red onions, and a creamy chipotle sauce for a taste of Mexico with a Middle Eastern flair.

No matter your preference, these three tacos de carnitas recipes guarantee a culinary adventure. Whether you crave traditional flavors, tangy salsas, or a fusion of cultures, you'll find your perfect match in this collection. So, gather your ingredients, fire up your kitchen, and prepare to indulge in a Mexican feast that will leave you craving more.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

CARNITAS RECIPE



Carnitas Recipe image

An easy and authentic Carnitas Recipe for making the best Mexican Tacos de Carnitas! Featuring slow-cooked, tender bites of pork broiled to crispy perfection!

Provided by Kelly Anthony

Categories     Main Course

Time 2h25m

Number Of Ingredients 15

3-4 pound boneless pork butt
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup orange juice ((freshly squeezed), about 3-4 oranges)
1/4 cup lime juice ((freshly squeezed), about 3-4 limes)
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup water (+ 2 tablespoons, separated)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Flour or corn tortillas ( (1-2 per person))
Topping Suggestions: red onion, cilantro, Cotija cheese, freshly squeezed lime juice

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Pat the pork butt dry with a paper towel. Use a large, sharp knife to trim away excess fat. Cut the pork butt into 1" thick slices. Then, cut each slice into 1" cubes.
  • Transfer the pork to a 4-5 quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven. Add all of the dry spices, and massage them onto the pork with your hands.
  • Add the orange juice, lime juice, and a 1/2 cup water to the Dutch oven and stir to combine. Add the bay leaves, cover, and transfer to the oven.
  • Cook for 2 hours. Remove from the oven, and turn on the broiler on high. Have ready a rimmed sheet pan lined with nonstick aluminum foil.
  • Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to the prepared sheet pan. Using the tines of a fork, gently press down on the pork to ever-so-slightly break it apart.
  • Place the pork under the broiler, and watch closely so that it does not burn. As soon as the pork begins to tinge with dark brown hues and crisps up on the edges, remove it from the oven. Depending on your broiler, this could take anywhere from 1- 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  • Place the Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high heat and allow to come to a simmer. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the cooking liquid and allow to simmer until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  • Either add the pork back to the Dutch oven and stir or brush the sauce lightly over the carnitas. Serve with tortillas and your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 425 kcal, Carbohydrate 35 g, Protein 37 g, Fat 14 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, Cholesterol 102 mg, Sodium 1413 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 4 g, ServingSize 1 serving

CARNITAS TACOS



Carnitas Tacos image

The house smells fantastic all day when I'm making this slow-cooked recipe. The tacos have so much flavor, you'd never guess they use just five ingredients. I love that they're ready when you need them at the end of the day. -Mary Wood, Maize, Kansas

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 6h15m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 boneless pork shoulder butt roast (3 to 4 pounds)
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
12 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream, optional

Steps:

  • Cut roast in half; place in a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Sprinkle with taco seasoning. Pour tomatoes over top. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender., Remove meat from slow cooker; shred with 2 forks. Skim fat from cooking juices. Return meat to slow cooker; heat through. Using a slotted spoon, place 1/2 cup on each tortilla; top with cheese. Serve with sour cream if desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 414 calories, Fat 20g fat (8g saturated fat), Cholesterol 84mg cholesterol, Sodium 789mg sodium, Carbohydrate 30g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 28g protein.

ZESTY CARNITAS TACOS



Zesty Carnitas Tacos image

Lime juice in the crema give these tacos a good zing!

Provided by Doug

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Mexican

Time 4h30m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 (2 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
½ cup chopped onion
⅓ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon cumin
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 lime, zested and juiced
2 (5.3 ounce) containers plain fat-free Greek yogurt
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 pinch chili powder
16 (6 inch) soft yellow corn tortillas
4 leaves green cabbage, shredded
1 cup very thinly sliced red onion
1 cup pico de gallo

Steps:

  • Carnitas: Trim fat from pork. Cut pork into 2- to 3-inch pieces; transfer to a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in onion, orange juice, cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, oregano, and cayenne.
  • Cover and cook on Low 8 to 10 hours, or on High 4 to 5 hours. Transfer pork to a large bowl; shred using 2 forks. Add enough cooking liquid from slow cooker to moisten.
  • Lime Crema: Add 2 tablespoons lime juice to a small bowl. Stir in yogurt and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Dust with chili powder.
  • Tacos: Serve pork in tortillas with cabbage, red onion, and pico de gallo (if using). Garnish with crema and lime zest.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 338.4 calories, Carbohydrate 32.5 g, Cholesterol 52.6 mg, Fat 16 g, Fiber 5.1 g, Protein 17.9 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sodium 761.4 mg, Sugar 5.5 g

TACOS DE CARNITAS



Tacos De Carnitas image

2001 Best Recipe from the San Francisco Chronicle. Serve with avocadao slices, sour cream, and limes and of course margaritas! Recipe courtesy Tara Duggan

Provided by cookiedog

Categories     Pork

Time 3h15m

Yield 12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

4 1/2 lbs pork butt
6 cups water
7 slices orange zest
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 onions, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cinnamon sticks, preferably Mexican
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano leaves, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
24 small corn tortillas, warmed
chopped fresh cilantro
finely chopped onion
fresh salsa verde or hot sauce

Steps:

  • Trim any thick fat from the outside of the pork butt. Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes. Discard any cubes that are pure fat, but don't try to trim all of the fat out of the meat.
  • Put the pork in a large pot. Add the water the strips of orange zest, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, bay leaves, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cloves. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Skim off any scum that forms on the surface. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, until the pork is very soft, adding more water if necessary to keep the meat submerged. Season with salt.
  • Bring to a gentle boil and cook until the water has evaporated about 30 minutes. Cook a little longer to fry the meat slightly. (Note: if you want extra-crispy carnitas, fry approximately 25 minutes.) Watch carefully to prevent burning.
  • Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Put the meat in a fine strainer and push gently with a wooden spoon to remove any excess fat. Discard the fat.
  • Fold a few tablespoons of carnitas inside each tortilla and top each taco with cilantro, onion and salsa.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 491.1, Fat 28.1, SaturatedFat 9.5, Cholesterol 112.3, Sodium 348, Carbohydrate 23.5, Fiber 3.4, Sugar 1.1, Protein 34.9

PORK CARNITAS TACOS



Pork Carnitas Tacos image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     main-dish

Time 3h10m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

5 sprigs thyme
3 pounds boneless pork butt (fat cap intact), cut into 2-inch chunks
5 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Juice of 2 limes
Juice of 1 orange
Kosher salt
Corn tortillas, warmed, and assorted toppings, for serving

Steps:

  • Tie the thyme sprigs together with kitchen twine; combine the pork, garlic, bay leaves and thyme bundle in a large Dutch oven. Add the vegetable oil, lime juice, orange juice, 1 cup water and 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low; cover and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.
  • Uncover the pot and continue simmering, stirring once or twice, until the pork is tender, about another 1 hour, 15 minutes. Increase the heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 35 more minutes. Discard the thyme bundle and bay leaves, then increase the heat to medium high so the pork starts to fry. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally, until the pork is golden brown and crisp in spots, about 10 more minutes. Serve in tortillas with assorted toppings.
  • Combine 1 thinly sliced red onion, 1 cup cider vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon each coriander seeds, mustard seeds and cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a small saucepan. Boil 2 minutes; let cool.

CARNITAS (SLOW ROASTED PORK) TACOS - TACOS DE CARNITAS



Carnitas (Slow Roasted Pork) Tacos - Tacos De Carnitas image

Make and share this Carnitas (Slow Roasted Pork) Tacos - Tacos De Carnitas recipe from Food.com.

Provided by JRLowey

Categories     Pork

Time 2h40m

Yield 24 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

8 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 medium white onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, dried
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
5 teaspoons kosher salt
5 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
dried bay leaf
1 cup Coca-Cola

Steps:

  • 1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  • 2. Blend the garlic, onion, oregano, thyme, salt and 1/2 cup of water in a blender until fairly smooth.
  • 3. Combine the pork and buy leaves in a 6-quart dutch oven or deep baking dish that can hold the porkin no more than 2 layers. Pour the blended mixture and the Coca-Cola over the pork and stir & toss well.
  • 4. Cover the pot and cook in the oven until the pork is very tender, about 2 hours. The sides of the pot might look dark. Thats just fine.
  • 5. Uncover the pot and return to the oven. Continue cooking, tossing well and scraping the bottom and sides of pot every 10 minutes., until the pork is slightly crispy on the outside and deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Coarsely shred the pork.
  • 6. Make Ahead: You can make carnitas up to three days before you plan to serve.
  • 7. Serve alongside 24 warm CORN TORTILLAS and LIME WEDGES and top with CHOPPED WHITE ONION, CHOPPED CILANTRO, and FRESH GREEN SALSA, JALAPENO AND PINAPPLE SALSA, OR PICO DE GALLO WITH LEMON ZEST.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 245.9, Fat 19.1, SaturatedFat 6.6, Cholesterol 67.2, Sodium 549.5, Carbohydrate 1.6, Fiber 0.1, Sugar 1, Protein 15.9

Tips:

  • Choose the right cut of meat: Pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) is the best cut of meat for carnitas because it is well-marbled and has a lot of connective tissue, which breaks down and becomes tender when cooked slowly.
  • Brown the meat before braising: Browning the meat before braising adds flavor and color. It also helps to render some of the fat, which will make the carnitas less greasy.
  • Cook the meat until it is fall-apart tender: Carnitas should be cooked until it is very tender and can be easily shredded. This can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, depending on the method of cooking.
  • Use a variety of spices: Carnitas is traditionally seasoned with a mixture of cumin, oregano, garlic, and chili powder. However, you can also add other spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, to create your own unique flavor profile.
  • Serve the carnitas with your favorite toppings: Carnitas can be served on tacos, burritos, or tostadas. It can also be used as a filling for enchiladas or tamales. Some popular toppings for carnitas include guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and cheese.

Conclusion:

Carnitas is a delicious and versatile Mexican dish that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. By following these tips, you can make carnitas that is tender, flavorful, and perfect for any occasion.

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