by merrill
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2 teaspoons cumin seeds Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon coriander seeds Ask a question about this ingredient
2 teaspoons ancho chili powder Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano Ask a question about this ingredient
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (not too lean), cut into 3/4-inch chunks Ask a question about this ingredient
Kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient
Vegetable oil Ask a question about this ingredient
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
1 poblano pepper, finely chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
1 serrano chili, seeded and finely chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
2 garlic cloves, minced Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, with their juices Ask a question about this ingredient
1 1/2 cup chicken stock (homemade or low sodium) Ask a question about this ingredient
2 large limes Ask a question about this ingredient
Corn tortillas Ask a question about this ingredient
2 avocados Ask a question about this ingredient
Pickled onions (recipe below) Ask a question about this ingredient
Cilantro, washed and dried Ask a question about this ingredient
Put the cumin and coriander in a small pan and set over medium heat. Toast the spices for a minute or two, shaking the pan occasionally, until they’re fragrant. (Be careful not to scorch them.) Grind the spices finally using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in both chile powders and the oregano and set aside.
Ask a question about this stepHeat a tablespoon of oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the pork well with salt and add about half of the meat to the pot. Brown it well on all sides, about 4 minutes total, and transfer it to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Add more oil and brown the second batch of meat, adding it to the bowl once it’s done.
Ask a question about this stepLower the heat to medium and add another tablespoon of oil to the pot. Add the onion, poblano, serrano and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or so, until fragrant. Stir in the spice mixture and cook for another minute.
Ask a question about this stepReturn the meat to the pot, with any juices that have accumulated, and add the tomatoes and chicken stock. (The meat should be covered in liquid – if it’s not, add a little water.) Squeeze in the juice of half a lime and add 2 teaspoons of salt. Turn the heat up to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Turn down the heat, cover the pot and simmer gently for an hour. Uncover the pot and continue to simmer until the pork is very tender and the sauce is reduced and thick, 30 to 60 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning, adding salt if needed, and squeeze in the juice of another half a lime.
Ask a question about this stepTo serve, heat the tortillas in the oven or in a dry pan. Peel and roughly chop the avocados and cut the remaining lime into thin wedges. Fill each taco with some of the pork, pickled onions, avocado, cilantro and sour cream if you like. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.
Ask a question about this step1 medium red onion Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons sugar Ask a question about this ingredient
1/4 medium beet, peeled Ask a question about this ingredient
Slice the onion thinly and put it in a microwaveable container. Add the salt, sugar, beet and cilantro. Cover everything with 1 part water to 2 parts vinegar. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, and microwave for another minute. Cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
Ask a question about this stepThis is my go to meal now when we have a ton of teenagers coming over for dinner. A true crowd pleaser!
I was thinking of substituting the pork for tofu and mushrooms, and vegetable stock for the chicken stock to make a vegetarian (even vegan) version. Any tips on adjusting the cooking time
I made this last night for a "New Years 2012 Taco Party" and the pork was a huge hit (for those who ate meat). A couple people asked for me to come to their house every week and make a batch for them. I appreciate the variety of chilis used for how they meld and create a flavorful kick. I'm also glad you included the onions in the recipe; they're a necessary flavor contrast for the taco.
Absolutely delicious. Could use a bit more kick though. I made 3lbs instead of just two, and I ended up having to simmer what seemed a long time, eventually the pork was starting to break up a little so thats when I stopped simmering it. I didn't bother with the onions, I just put it on some tortillas with a little cheese and its so simple but good.
I made this on Sunday for a house full of people and everyone loved it. I played around with the spices, and made two versions--one for the timid and a spicier one for the rest of us. I also have a family member who doesn't eat pork, so I roasted some chicken parts for her, shredded and poured off some of the sauce and put in the chicken to simmer. I made the tortillas, grilled some corn and we had a wonderful feast. Thank you!!!!!
Just made this--so delicious! I bought some homemade corn tortillas at the farmer's market, which put it over the top. Never going back to the store bought stuff which is like wallpaper. Made a pot of black beans to serve on the side.
making these again tonight they are so unbelievably good!! my boyfriend has been asking to make them again!! Thanks for the recipe and for my favorite food site!
These pork tacos were unbelievably delicious. I marinated my pickled onions with cloves and cinnamon sticks, based on a recipe I found on David Lebovitz's blog. The combo of the pork and the onions was really mind-blowing!
these tacos are fabulous- I'm a mexican cook living in Hong Kong- I printed this recipe and wanted to make it for weeks. I couldn't find the ancho or chipotle powder so I was resisting, I ended up using a few thai chillis, and cayenne pepper. I had some whole chipotles, and put one in for flavor. They were DIVINE. 5 stars in my book! Everyone loved them, and they were so easy to make! I'm sure I will be making these often!
Seriously, this stuff would be good on a roof shingle.
I slow cooked a huge pork butt for pork tacos this week too. But I still had a lot leftover, even after two nights of pork tacos. I ended up making a pork ragu//bolognese that I served over your Buttery Polenta with Parmesan. It was so good and a great way to serve 'leftovers', again, with no eye-rolling.
Looks VERY nice - just right - and I bet aargersi's onions are perfect with it.
We made this over the weekend and it was delicious :-) I am glad we decided not to half the recipe because that meant we have an amazing lunch to look forward to the next day! Definitely a keeper :-)
I made this recipe for a group of friends here in Florence. Italian food is heaven, but after a while you need some spicy, Mexican-inspired dishes to vary things up a bit. We had to sub for a few things we couldn't find, but this recipe got RAVE reviews. The perfect amount of spice.
Made these tacos for dinner today. They were a hit! I added couple more slices of beets to intensify the color of the onion. I used some thick pork loin chops and cut into chunks. Simply delicious.
Made it - loved it! This is just the recipe I've been looking for. Most recipes for carnitas only have you marinate the meat then cook it, no sauce. This pork is tender, saucy, and flavorful. Loved the pickled onions too, just like you get from the taco trucks.
Made this for dinner last night. Amazing! The leftovers that I had for lunch is even better. I didn't have chipotle powder, so I used chipotle in adobo. Really like the tang coming off the adobo sauce. This recipe is moving into the regular rotation. Thank you Merrill!
I love pork shoulder and I love aargersi's onions. Double winner.
Sounds delicious. I recently submitted a similar recipe, based on one from Rick Bayless, that slow cooks pork in tomatillos, so a green version of this one, but I kept in the beans.
We don't have a microwave. Is there an alternate solution to quick pickled onions? (Thanks!)
i'm dense, but am i supposed to slice the beets in this recipe or are they just there for color?
This was just AMAZING. Thanks Merrill - will be making this all summer long.