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Two carnitas street tacos filled with shredded meat, diced onions, and cilantro on a white plate, garnished with extra cilantro and a lime wedge on the side.

Delicious Carnitas Street Tacos Recipe

A woman with shoulder-length wavy hair is smiling, standing indoors with greenery in the background. She is wearing a white V-neck shirt and a necklace.Jasmine Ito
Delicious and savory carnitas street tacos, perfect for a flavorful and hearty dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Meal Type Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4
Calories 490 kcal
Difficulty Medium
Ingredient Cost $11
Shopping Cost$27

Equipment

  • Slow cooker or large pot
  • Skillet
  • Cutting board
  • Knife

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 pounds pork shoulder
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • ½ cup lime juice
  • 12 small corn tortillas
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 cup onions diced
  • Lime wedges for serving
  • Salsa for serving

Instructions
 

Prepare the Pork:

  • Cut the pork shoulder into large chunks.
    2 pounds pork shoulder
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chunks and sear on all sides until browned.
    1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Slow Cook the Pork:

  • Transfer the seared pork to a slow cooker or large pot.
  • Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
    1 onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Pour in the orange juice and lime juice.
    1 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup lime juice
  • Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the pork is tender and easily shredded.

Shred and Crisp the Pork:

  • Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks.
  • Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the shredded pork. Cook until the edges are crispy.

Assemble the Tacos:

  • Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave.
    12 small corn tortillas
  • Fill each tortilla with a generous portion of the shredded carnitas.
  • Top with chopped cilantro and diced onions.
    1 cup fresh cilantro, 1 cup onions

Serve:

  • Serve the tacos with lime wedges and salsa on the side.
    Lime wedges, Salsa

Notes

You can add other toppings like avocado, sour cream, or cheese as desired.
For extra heat, add jalapeño slices or hot sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 490kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 34gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 773mgPotassium: 998mgFiber: 8gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1075IUVitamin C: 51mgCalcium: 149mgIron: 5mg
Keyword Al Pastor, Easy Recipe, Flavorful, Mexican Cuisine, Tacos

Ingredient Costs: Cost of Recipe by Ingredient Measurements

Shopping Costs: Cost of Recipe with Brand New Ingredient Purchases

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