Copycat Street-Food Carnitas Tacos

Allergens

Dairy (cotija cheese), Wheat (tortillas)

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless pork shoulder
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 8 small corn tortillas
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Combine orange juice, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, ground cumin, dried oregano, paprika, ground black pepper, salt, cinnamon, and ground cloves in a large bowl. Mix well to create the marinade.
2. Add the pork shoulder to the marinade, ensuring it's evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
3. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
4. Remove the pork from the marinade and place it in a large, oven safe dish. Pour any remaining marinade over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours or until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.
5. Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before shredding.
6. Warm the corn tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds. Assemble the tacos by placing a portion of shredded carnitas on each tortilla, topping with cilantro, red onion, lettuce, and cotija cheese. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Chef’s Insight

The key to tender carnitas is slow cooking the pork in its marinade until it pulls apart easily.

Notes

To enhance the smoky flavor of these carnitas tacos, you can add a pinch of smoked paprika to the marinade.