I think you all know by now that we love tacos in my family. The long, short story is simply that my brothers and I grew up eating my dad’s crispy tacos at least once and sometimes twice a week. They were easy for him to make, and we loved them. My dad always made his tacos with beef, then he would stuff the meat into hard shells with cheese. The unique thing that he did was melt the cheese in the oven. It’s completely delicious and my personal favorite way to enjoy any kind of taco. I’ve made many beef tacos, chicken tacos, and even cauliflower tacos, but the one meat I’ve neglected a bit is pork. That is until today! These are my take on carnitas tacos. Carnitas, translated, means little meats. They’re Mexican slow-cooked pork that’s seasoned with spices. The meat is shredded and used for tacos, burritos, or served over rice. Because pork has a high fat, the meat always comes out juicy and delicious. You can make my carnitas using either the oven or the crockpot. Either way, the recipe is so easy and, of course, so delicious.
These are the details
Step 1: season the pork My go-to seasoning blend is canned chipotle chilies in adobo, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, Mexican oregano, and salt. I then add enchilada sauce, which is not traditional, but I like to use it for a bit of extra flavor and sauce! Step 2: slow-cook the meat You can braise the meat in the oven or use the crockpot. Both methods are almost identical and equally delicious. Arrange the meat in a large Dutch oven, then toss with all those yummy seasonings. Add orange juice, lime juice, and enchilada sauce, then water. Slow braise the meat for 2-3 hours in the oven or 5 hours in the crockpot. As the meat is slowly cooking, the braising liquid turns into a yummy red sauce. Save this sauce for serving alongside your crispy tacos. Step 3: shred the meat When the roast is falling apart, remove it from the pot and shred the meat. Then toss with some of the sauce left in the pot. Step 4: the crispy shells Instead of using store-bought taco shells, I like to take corn tortillas and stuff them with the meat and cheese. I throw them into the oven to bake until the tortillas are crispy. This method is my favorite, and I use it every time I make tacos for my family. We love the crispy oven “fried” shells and melty cheese. It’s the best when some of the cheese melts out onto the pan and gets crispy too. Delicious. You can easily use store-bought hard taco shells as well. When I’m crunched for time, I often will too! Step 5: the jalapeño lime avocado Roasted jalapeños mixed with avocado, cilantro, lime, and sea salt. It’s not fancy, but it’s so good! Great for scooping up with chips too! Serve up the avocado on each taco, then add whatever other toppings you love most. I always recommend a pineapple salsa or mango salsa. I love a good fruity salsa. And don’t forget the leftover red sauce in the pot. It’s so good, so use it for dipping! Looking for more simple weeknight recipes? Here are a few favorites: Crockpot Chipotle Pot Roast Tacos Crispy Cider Braised White Chili Chicken Tacos Crispy Jalapeño Cream Cheese Buffalo Chicken Taquitos Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Pizza Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips Healthier Homemade Crunchwrap Supreme Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch Crockpot Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tacos Lastly, if you make these Crispy Carnitas Tacos with Roasted Jalapeño Lime Avocado, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
