This is a recipe that I’ve been working on for a little bit now and I think I’m at a place with it where I’m ready to share it. I’ve tweaked a few things here and there each time and I think this princess is finally ready for the ball. The first time I made this it was actually in burrito form for my husband’s birthday. He said (and he is extremely honest with me so this is real… hahah) that it was the best burrito he has ever had, hands down…. And we live in burrito-land Southern California! SO if you want to make it a burrito I suggest putting all the ingredients inside and then covering the burrito with the salsa verde, a little cheese, and serving it “mojado” which means wet.

For the salsa- you can buy salsa verde if you are short on time but let me tell you, this salsa kind of makes the whole dish. Also, I would strongly suggest using this recipe next time it’s your turn to do the chips and salsa for a party!


You will need:
For the carnitas:

Dry rub (1 Tbs each of salt, onion powder, garlic salt, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika. 2 Tbs brown sugar, 1 tsp cayenne pepper)
3 lb pork shoulder (bone-in, or pork loin… really any cut of meat will turn out pretty good)
2 Cups orange juice
½ Cup white wine
2-3 Cups chicken stock (enough to cover the pork once in crock-pot)
1 Medium onion
3-4 Garlic cloves

For the salsa:

About 10-12 tomatillos (husked and rinsed)
1 Poblano pepper (stem and seeds removed)
1 Jalapeno (stem and half of the seeds removed)
About 3-4 cloves of garlic (peeled)
1 Medium onion (chopped)
1 Cup fresh cilantro leaves
¾ Tbs salt (plus sprinkle for roasting)
1 tsp sugar or honey
Black pepper
Olive Oil
Splash of water or stock

For the fixings:
Avocado and corn salsa (combine cubed avocado with cooked corn niblets, chopped tomatoes, green onions, a little lime, salt, and cilantro)
Sliced radishes
Cotija cheese (or queso fresco)
Sliced green cabbage
Lime wedges
Chopped fresh cilantro
Small corn tortillas

First get your dry rub on to your pork. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and evenly spread over your entire piece of pork. Use ALL of the rub and really RUB it in! Place in the fridge for at least one hour or overnight.

Once your rub has settled into your pork for at least one hour or overnight it’s time to cook! Instead of going straight to the crock-pot we need to sear it first. You really want to avoid skipping this step because it truly is an incredible flavor-booster. SO get a large skillet going over high heat, drizzle with a little olive oil, and wait for it to get screamin’ hot. Once hot, hit it with your pork! You want to hear a sizzle. Sear each side of the meat for about 2-4 minutes per side and transfer to your crock-pot.


Don’t wash that skillet just yet! We want all the goodness left in it from the dry rub and pork! Reduce the heat to medium and pour in your white wine, being sure to scrape up any bits that may be at the bottom of your pan. Let the wine cook out for about 5 minutes and pour into your crock-pot.
Now, toss in your onion, garlic, orange juice, and stock to cover the meat. Cook on low for 6 hours. (high for 4 hours)
Once your pork has slow-cooked pull it out of its cooking liquid and transfer to a plate. Using two forks, gently shred the meat. It should basically fall apart, place shredded meat and any juices that have developed back into the slow cooker and let sit on warm until you are ready to assemble your tacos. You will have a lot of liquid that you won’t actually end up eating but that will just keep your meat nice and tender while it sits and awaits it’s turn to be crisped, so don’t dump it.

Salsa time. Get your oven going at 400 F. Spread your veggies (tomatillos through garlic… so no onions yet) on to a baking sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and bake for about 20 minutes or until browned slightly and softened. Check halfway through to turn your veggies, and if your garlic seems to be browning a lot, remove it and toss into your blender/processor before the others are done.

Once the veggies are done remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Toss into your blender with the raw onions, cilantro, salt, sugar/honey, and a splash of water (or stock) and blend until smooth. Taste, adding salt or sugar as needed. YUM right? I want to drink it. This salsa is best served warm or at room temperature… if you make it ahead of time just get it out of the fridge way ahead of time so it can warm up a bit.


Ok, I have a few suggestions when it comes to assembling these tacos.

  1. I ALWAYS “crisp” up the meat before serving. I do this by heating a little oil in a skillet and cooking a thin layer of meat over high heat until slightly browned. Repeat when you use up each batch.
  2. Make sure you warm your tortillas in the oven on low. Just wrap in foil and place straight on your rack.
  3. Less is actually more in this instance, overstuffed tacos are the worst.

 

 
Enjoy now, OR the next morning for breakfast tacos! Just add eggs! We like em scrambled for this one.

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