Smoky Southwestern Street Tacos

Smoky Southwestern Street Tacos

Discover the bold flavors of these Smoky Southwestern Street Tacos, a copycat twist on a classic favorite. Perfect for your next street food festival!

Time: Prep: 20 min | Cook: 1 hour 10 min | Total: 1 hour 30 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Intermediate
Cuisine: Mexican-American

Allergens

Dairy (cotija cheese), Gluten (corn tortillas)

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs boneless pork shoulder
  • 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
  • 8 large corn tortillas
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. for Tacos:
  2. Rub the pork shoulder with half of the smoky spice rub, making sure to coat all sides evenly.
  3. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium high heat. Sear the seasoned pork until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes per side.
  4. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches 190°F.
  5. While the pork is cooking, warm the tortillas over direct heat, then wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
  6. Thinly slice the cooked pork and add it to the warm tortillas, then top with onion, cilantro, jalapeño, cotija cheese, and lime wedges.

Chef’s Insight

For an extra smoky flavor, add a dash of liquid smoke to the spice rub.

Notes

For a vegetarian option, try this recipe with marinated and grilled portobello mushrooms or grilled zucchini.

Cultural or Historical Background

This recipe pays homage to the bustling street food scenes found throughout Mexico and the American Southwest.