Festival Classic Lunch: Sizzling Street-Food Carnitas Tacos

Allergens

Gluten, Dairy

Ingredients

• 1. 3 lbs pork shoulder 2. 1 large onion, chopped 3. 4 cloves garlic, minced 4. 2 cups orange juice 5. 1 cup lime juice 6. 1/2 cup white vinegar 7. 1/4 cup brown sugar 8. 2 tsp ground cumin 9. 1 tsp ground coriander 10. 1/2 tsp ground cloves 11. 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 12. Salt and pepper, to taste 13. 12 small corn tortillas 14. 2 cups shredded lettuce 15. 1 cup pico de gallo 16. 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese 17. 2 limes, cut into wedges 18. 2 avocados, sliced

Instructions

1. In a large Dutch oven or slow cooker, combine the pork shoulder, onion, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, white vinegar, brown sugar, cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. If using a slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 5 hours. If using a Dutch oven, simmer over medium heat for 2 3 hours until the pork is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
2. Remove the pork from the liquid, let it cool slightly, and shred it into bite sized pieces. Reserve the cooking liquid.
3. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Skewer the shredded pork onto wooden sticks or use a tortilla press to form flat patties. Grill until crispy and golden brown, 2 3 minutes per side.
4. Assemble tacos by placing grilled carnitas on warmed corn tortillas, topping with lettuce, pico de gallo, cotija cheese, a squeeze of lime juice, and avocado slices.

Chef’s Insight

The key to perfect carnitas is slow cooking the pork until it's tender and shreddable. This method infuses the meat with the rich flavors of the citrus-spiced marinade.

Notes

This dish can be easily scaled up or down to accommodate your needs. Add a side of refried beans for a more filling meal.