Pork Carnitas are excellent for tacos - Kitchen Wrangler | Melissa Guerra % (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between carnitas and pork tacos? ›

Both carnitas and pulled pork are cooked slowly for several hours, and great to make in the slow cooker or instant pot. Unlike pulled pork, however, carnitas are finished by roasting the meat in the oven until browned and crisp.

Pork shoulder: Traditionally, carnitas is made with pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) because of its higher fat content. The fat helps to keep the meat extremely juicy and tender while cooking.

Mexicans take their Carnitas tacos seriously because it is so mouth wateringly delicious. Succulent, slow cooked seasoned pork, shredded and stuffed into tacos.

A Dish for Festive Occasions

Carnitas is associated with festive occasions, and it's usually consumed during weekends, particularly on Sundays, the traditional “mercado”, or marketplace, day in Mexico.

Carnitas, literally meaning "little meats", in Mexican cuisine, is a dish made by braising, simmering and frying pork in its own fat, lard or cooking oil. The name “Carnitas” is, historically, the vulgar, colloquial name given in Mexico for the French dish Rillons de Tours also known in Spanish as Chicharrón de Tours.

Tortillas – It is most traditional to use corn tortillas. However, you could use flour tortillas if that's all you have. Salsa – Salsa verde is the classic salsa to use. However, you can also use a regular salsa rojo or Pico de Gallo.

In Mexico, pork shoulder is slowly cooked in a big pot of lard, making it tender, moist, and rich. To make our recipe a little more home-friendly, we slowly cook our pork with a few aromatics and a few tablespoons of oil to keep it moist and tender. I use my oven to make carnitas.

In addition to pork carnitas tacos, you can also eat carnitas as a filling for enchiladas, tuck them into a quesadilla, turn them into a burrito bowl, make an epic grilled cheese—there's pretty much no wrong way to enjoy them. Flavorful, But Not Overly Spicy.

For a saucy version, instead of broiling the pork, drain off excess juices then add: ½ cup enchilada sauce, ¼ cup salsa, 4 oz. green chilies, and brown sugar and hot sauce to taste. Add toppings. Pork carnitas can be piled high with any number of toppings.

Flank steak is one of the most well-known kinds for anything that requires thin steaks. This thin cut works well for slicing, as required for tacos and fajitas. It's also relatively affordable compared to top-of-the-line steaks like ribeye and New York strip.

How much carnitas per taco? ›

Open bag and using a metal spatula, break apart meat pieces into smaller pieces or shreds while meat is still hot. To serve immediately: Place one number 10 scoop or ⅜ cup or 2.5 ounces of pork on top of a corn tortilla.

Skip the chorizo, fried fish, and carnitas (fried pork or beef), which are higher in unhealthy saturated fat.

The orange juice and lime juice combo tenderises them to incredible fall-apart tenderness, while the natural sugars in the juices and the co*ke combined turn what would be just another pulled pork recipe, into crispy heaven with every mouthful.

The city of Quiroga is known as the “carnitas capital of the world,” and the state is the largest producer of avocados not only in Mexico, but in the entire world.

Every tortilla dreams of being stuffed with Carnitas. Picture seasoned pork slow-cooked into tender submission, gently shredded and pan-fried to golden, crispy perfection. Carnitas has that elusive combination of juicy and crispy that's so irresistible.

Carnitas are shredded meats cooked by braising or simmering in fat and marinades or spice blends until tender. The meats are then pulled apart or shredded if not already, and cooked over high heat to crisp. For Vegan versions, you can use chicken or pork subs, mushrooms, jackfruit etc.

car·​ni·​tas kär-ˈnē-təz. -ˈnē-täs. : small chunks or strips of meat and especially pork that are fried or roasted until crisp and are sometimes served in a burrito or taco.