Traci Des Jardins's Carnitas Tacos
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Ingredients (24)
For the tacos:
- 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder with fat
- 1/4 cup lard, duck fat, or vegetable oil
- 1 Negra Modela beer
- 2 tangerines, quartered
- 1 ounce piloncillo or brown sugar, roughly crushed
- 1 dried chipotle chile
- Salt and pepper
- 12 to 18 small corn tortillas
- 1 bag tortillas chips, preferably homemade
For the salsa verde:
- 1 pound tomatillos
- 1 serrano chile
- 1 white onion, peeled
- 1 bunch cilantro, thoroughly washed
- Salt
For the guacamole:
- 2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled and de-seeded
- 1/2 remaining cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 white onion, finely minced
- Juice of 4 Key limes or 2 regular limes
- 1/4 finely minced serrano chile
- Salt to taste, about 1 1/2 teaspoons
To garnish:
- 1/2 white onion, finely diced
- 1/4 bunch cilantro leaves, roughly cut
- 1/4 serrano chile, finely minced
- 5 Key limes, halved, or 2 regular limes, quartered
Nutritional Information
- Calories567
- Fat35.52g
- Saturated fat9.16g
- Trans fat0.04g
- Carbs39.13g
- Fiber6.73g
- Sugar6.32g
- Protein25.14g
- Cholesterol85.88mg
- Sodium691.51mg
- Nutritional Analysis per serving (15 servings) Powered by
Tip
How to Freeze Pork
Pork fares best in the freezer if packaged with freezer-friendly materials like waxed paper, aluminum foil, or heavy-duty plastic bags.
Wrap any meat tightly so that air does not escape and freeze at 0°F. Generally, fresh cuts of pork can last up to six months, while ground pork can last up to three.
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Next: How to Thaw Pork
Tip
How to Thaw Pork
Pork is easiest to thaw when placed in the refrigerator in its original wrapping. Small roasts will take three to five hours per pound, while larger roasts can take up to seven hours per pound. Thawing ground pork depends entirely on the thickness of its packaging.
It is safe to cook frozen or partially-frozen pork, but its cooking time may take 50 percent longer. Frozen pork should not be cooked in a slow cooker.
It is safe to cook frozen or partially-frozen pork, but its cooking time may take 50 percent longer. Frozen pork should not be cooked in a slow cooker.
Read More
2 of 3
Next: How to Store Pork
Tip
How to Store Pork
Sealed pork products can typically last in the fridge for two to four days, with ground pork having a slightly shorter shelf life at one to three. Ham or other smoked pork products like bacon can be stored for up to a week, though this only applies to products that aren’t vacuum sealed or prepared with preservatives. The latter can obviously last a lot longer.
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San Francisco Bay Area chef/restaurateur Traci Des Jardins shares the recipe for one of her favorite party dishes; plus recipes for her salsa verde and guacamole! Serve these tacos at your next Super Bowl party, or just as a simple weeknight meal.
Instructions
For the tacos:
-
1
Remove the outside fat from the meat and cut the fat into strips 1 inch x 1/4 × 1/4.
-
2
Cut the meat into 3 × 3 × 3 inch chunks, you do not need precisely this size, roughly.
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3
Place the lard or oil into a sauté pan and heat over medium high heat. When the oil is hot add the fat pieces and stir with a wooden spoon. Allow to cook over medium to medium high heat, they should be at a slow sizzle. Allow to brown slowly, over a 7 to 10 minute period, the oil should not be smoking hot. Using a slotted spoon or spider, remove the fat from the pan when it is golden brown and crispy, retire to a paper towel to drain and season with salt.
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4
Thoroughly salt the pork pieces and place into the hot fat. Cook over medium high heat and brown on all sides until a deep golden brown, probably about 15 minutes.
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5
When deep golden brown on all sides, turn the pan off and wait for 5 minutes. Open the beer and take a big swig and then add the bottle to the pan. Add the tangerines, piloncillo, and chipotle chile, bring to a simmer and cover. Cook at a low simmer on the stovetop or in a 250 degree oven for about 2 hours, or until falling apart.
For the salsa verde:
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1
Remove the husks from the tomatillos and discard. Wash the tomatillos in warm water to remove the film on them. Roughly chop 1/2 of the serrano chile, reserve other half for guacamole. Roughly chop 1/4 of the white onion. Cut 2 inches of the stem off of the cilantro and discard. Then cut the bunch in half. Reserve the leaves for garnish.
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2
Place the tomatillos in a blender and blend to smooth. Add the onion, serrano and the stem half of the cilantro and blend to smooth, add salt to taste, about 1 1/2 tablespoons. Place into a bowl.
For the guacamole:
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1
Place the avocados in a mortar or a mixing bowl. Crush with a pestle or a pastry cutter or potato masher or a fork. Add the lemon juice and salt and mix well, add the onion and cilantro, taste for seasoning.
