Name: Smoked Pork Carnitas Tacos
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 10 min
Yield: Makes
Ingredients: 6lbs bone-in pork shoulder; 2 tbsp salt; 2 tbsp pepper; 2 tbsp garlic powder; 3 tbsp brown sugar; 1 tbsp ancho chili powder; 1 tbsp achiote powder; 2 tbsp yellow mustard; 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 1 poblano pepper; ½ red onion; 8 tomatillos; 1/4 cup cilantro; 5 limes; Canola oil; 1 avocado; salt to taste; 3 tomatoes; ½ red onion; 3 cloves garlic; Pickled jalapeno brine; 1 lime; ¼ cup cilantro; 1 tbsp hot sauce; ½ large red onion; Pickled jalapeno brine; Apple cider vinegar; 2 radishes; 1 lime; flour tortillas

a platter of smoked pulled pork carnitas with pickled red onion and lime wedges

Smoked Pork Carnitas Tacos

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Food:

Pork

Serves:

Makes 15-16 tacos

Prep Time:

10 min

Cook Time:

6 hours

You don't want to miss out on this recipe. These smoked pork carnitas tacos with salsa verde, smoked salsa picante, pickled red onions and fresh radish are so good. While your pork shoulder smokes low and slow for six hours and is so juicy, tender and tasty, you can make your homemade salsa using the upper live-fire grill. Char your tomatillos, poblanos, garlic and other veggies on the grill before blending them up to make your salsa verde. The tomatoes, onion and garlic also get a hit on the grill before being blended to make the salsa picante, then get put in the smoker for a hit of smoky flavour to bring out that spice. A quick pickle of onions and shredding of radish and you have bright, acidic toppings to balance out that fatty, smoky meat. Serve with wedges of lime and flour tortillas and you have got yourself an especially epic taco night.

By:

Chef Matt Basile

Ingredients

6lbs bone-in pork shoulder
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp pepper
2 tbsp garlic powder
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp ancho chili powder
1 tbsp achiote powder
2 tbsp yellow mustard
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Salsa verde

1 poblano pepper
½ red onion
8 tomatillos
1/4 cup cilantro
5 limes
Canola oil
1 avocado
salt to taste

Salsa picante

3 tomatoes
½ red onion
3 cloves garlic
Pickled jalapeno brine
1 lime
¼ cup cilantro
1 tbsp hot sauce

Pickled onions

½ large red onion
Pickled jalapeno brine
Apple cider vinegar

To plate

2 radishes
1 lime
flour tortillas

Instructions

Set smoker to 250-275F.
In a bowl, mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, brown sugar, ancho and achiote powder. Spread a thin layer of mustard on the pork and season with the rub. Smoke unwrapped for 4 hrs.
Grill the poblano, red onion and tomatillos. Blend with cilantro, lime juice, oil, avocado and salt.
Remove the pork from the smoker and spray or drizzle with apple cider vinegar. Wrap in parchment and tightly wrapped foil and smoke wrapped for 2 hrs.
Grill tomatoes, onion, garlic. Blend with pickled jalapeno brine, lime juice, cilantro and hot sauce. Transfer to cast iron pan and smoke for 45 minutes.
Thinly slice onion, then pickle in a bowl with the jalapeno brine and apple cider vinegar. Slice radishes into thin matchsticks. Cut lime into eighths.
To plate, pull pork and place on a platter. Top with pickled onions, salsa verde and sliced lime. Serve with flour tortillas and salsa picante.

Smoked Pork Carnitas Tacos