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Crispy Pork Carnitas Tacos
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Crispy Pork Carnitas Tacos

A Taco Tuesday winner, these Pork Carnitas Tacos are loaded with crispy, flavorful, tender pork meat with a tangy pico de galo topping!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 50 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: carnitas, Mexican food, pork, Taco Tuesday, tacos
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 342kcal
Author: Mary Ann Dwyer

Ingredients

Pork

  • 4 lb. boneless pork shoulder cut into 3-inch chunks
  • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. ground pepper
  • 1 large onion peeled and halved
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 cinnamon stick or 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 large orange juiced
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 2 cups water
  • crumbled or shredded Monterey jack cheese, pico de gallo, shredded red cabbage, chopped cilantro, for serving
  • tortillas, for servings

Pico de Gallo

  • 4 Roma tomatoes - seeded and finely chopped about 2 cups
  • 1/4 cup onion finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno finely chopped - seeds and ribs removed
  • 2 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • kosher salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine all ingredients (including orange rinds) in a large Dutch oven. Simmer mixture over medium high heat. Once it comes to a simmer, cover and place in oven. Cook 2 hours or until meat falls apart when shredded with two forks.
  • Remove pot from the oven. Remove the meat from the pot with a slotted spoon and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Shred the meat with 2 forks, spreading evenly on sheet.
  • Remove all solids from the pot and heat the liquid mixture over medium heat until it thickens, about 15 minutes. Drizzle half the liquid over the shredded pork.
  • Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil for 5-7 minutes. Flip the pork over and drizzle with the remaining liquid and continue to broil for an additional 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Combine all ingredients for pico de gallo in medium bowl. Chill.
  • Serve pork carnitas in warm tortillas with crumbled Monterey jack cheese, pico de gallo, shredded red cabbage and chopped cilantro.

Nutrition

Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 508mg | Potassium: 1066mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 710IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg