Tailgate Carnitas Tacos

Allergens

Gluten, Dairy, Eggs

Ingredients

• 2 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 1
• inch cubes
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup taco seasoning blend
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 8 small corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 cup pico de gallo
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or a blend)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine pork shoulder cubes with orange juice, lime juice, taco seasoning, ground cumin, and smoked paprika. Mix well to ensure all pieces are coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight for maximum flavor infusion.
2. Preheat your grill to medium high heat, ensuring you have a safe spot for indirect cooking. Remove pork from the marinade, reserving the marinade liquid. Grill the pork pieces over direct heat until browned on all sides, approximately 5 minutes.
3. Move the seared pork to the indirect heat area of the grill and add back in the reserved marinade liquid. Cook for an additional 20 25 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
4. Shred the cooked pork into bite sized pieces, then return it to the grill over indirect heat. Cook for another 3 4 minutes to warm through.
5. Assemble your tacos by warming tortillas on the grill for 10 seconds per side. Layer shredded lettuce, carnitas, pico de gallo, sour cream, cheese, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Chef’s Insight

To add an extra touch of authenticity, grill tortillas directly on the grates for a slight char.

Notes

For a vegetarian option, replace the pork with seitan or tempeh and marinate in orange and lime juices before grilling.