Tired of dinner decisions? Enjoy a 14 day trial to our meal plan service, voted #1 by Lifehacker, and reduce your mental load today.

Slow Cooker Carnitas Tacos
with Mexican side salad

Active: 30 min Total: 7 hr 30 min
Carnitas is Mexican pulled pork and, served on tortillas with avocados, onions and salsa, it makes for a quintessential taco that is totally addictive.
Smarts: Restaurant-style carnitas is usually braised and deep fried for tender pieces of pork with crisp edges. To get those crunchy bits in this slow-cooker version, use the optional step to pan fry the portion of the pork for tonight's meal (save half of the pork for Thursday).
Dependency
Tags
Proteins
Cuisines

Ingredients

Metric
Servings:
4
Slow Cooker Carnitas (enough for 2 nights):
  • Jalapenos - 1 , chopped
  • Garlic - 6 cloves , chopped
  • Stock, any type - 1/2 cup
  • Pork, boneless shoulder roast (enough for 2 nights) - 2 1/2 lbs (sometimes labeled pork butt; if using bone-in, purchase a slightly heavier cut)
  • Oregano, dried - 3 tsp
  • Cumin, ground - 2 tsp
  • Salt - 2 tsp
  • Black pepper - 1 tsp
Mexican Side Salad:
  • Lettuce, romaine - 2 hearts , chopped
  • Tomatoes, medium - 1 , diced
  • Vinegar, red wine - 2 tsp
  • Lime juice - 2 tsp
  • Honey - 2 tsp
  • Oil, cooking - 2 Tbsp
  • Pepitas / pumpkin seeds - 1/4 cup
Carnitas Tacos:
  • Onions, medium - 1/4 , finely diced
  • Cilantro - 1/4 cup , leaves torn
  • Avocados - 1 , sliced
  • Lettuce, romaine - 1 heart , chopped
  • Tortillas, gluten-free taco-sized - 8
  • Slow-cooker carnitas (ingredients listed separately) - ~3 cups
  • Sour cream - 1/3 cup (sub plain or Greek yogurt)
  • Salsa, any type - 1/3 cup

Prep

  1. Jalapenos / Garlic / Onions / Cilantro - Prep as directed and store separately. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
  2. Slow cook pork - This makes enough for 2 nights. Combine garlic, jalapenos and stock in the bowl of a slow cooker. Add pork. Rub pork on the top and sides with oregano, cumin, salt and black pepper. Cook pork until tender and easily shredded with a fork, low for 7 to 8 hours (or high for 4 to 5 hours).
  3. Avocados / Lettuce (for both the tacos and salad) / Tomatoes - Prep as directed.

Unlock this meal along with hundreds of smart meal plans and never stress about "What's for dinner?" again

Try for free
Learn More

Make

  1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, lime juice, honey and cooking oil. Top with lettuce (portion for salad), tomatoes and pepitas. Wait to toss until just before serving.
  2. When pork is finished cooking, transfer to a cutting board (reserve the cooking liquid) and roughly chop. Reserve half the pork for Thursday.
  3. [Optional step:] If you'd like your pork crispy (like traditional carnitas), heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add some oil and then the portion of the pork for tonight's dinner. Cook, without stirring until dark golden brown on the bottom. Stir and continue cooking until pork is crisp and golden brown in spots.
  4. Drizzle the shredded pork with some of the cooking liquid (you likely won't not need all of it, but this will add some of the great flavor from cooking back in). Season with some salt and pepper.
  5. Warm tortillas according to package directions.
  6. Toss salad to combine.
  7. Assemble tacos by topping tortillas with carnitas, lettuce, avocados, onions, sour cream and salsa (or set it all out on the table and let everyone assemble their own). Enjoy with salad on the side.

Reviews

Ratings


0 reviews