It's Taco Time!! Smoked Pork Carnitas

pork shoulder

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: pork butt

Chicken thighs are lower in fat while pork butt is often less expensive.

corn tortillas

🥗Healthier: whole wheat tortillas

💰Cheaper: flour tortillas

Whole wheat tortillas provide more fiber, while flour tortillas are typically cheaper.

Cut the pork butt into large chunks, about uniform in shape for even cooking.

Season the pork chunks generously with salt, then add cumin and garlic.

Prepare the smoker and set it to 250°F. Place the pork on a rack in the smoker.

Smoke the pork until it reaches an internal temperature of 150-160°F, about 5.5 to 6 hours.

In the meantime, prepare the fire-roasted salsa by removing the husks from tomatillos and rinsing them.

Cut the tomatillos in half, and cut an onion into wedges. Roast them on the grill until charred, about 3.5 minutes.

After roasting, place the peppers in a Ziploc bag to sweat, then peel the skins off.

Blend the roasted vegetables with lime juice, seasoning, and salt to taste until smooth.

Once the pork reaches the desired temperature, separate it into two smaller pans to avoid overcrowding.

Add about 4-5 tablespoons of pork lard to each pan, along with half an onion and half an orange (including the peels).

Pour in a Mexican Coke and some orange juice into each pan, then add a cracked cinnamon stick.

Seal the pans and return them to the smoker, cooking until the pork reaches around 200°F.

Remove the pork from the smoker once tender enough to break apart easily, but not fully pulled apart.

Warm store-bought flour tortillas on a griddle until heated through, not cooked.

Crisp the pork in its fat on the griddle until crispy on the outside.

Assemble the tacos with shredded pork, fire-roasted salsa, white onion, cilantro, and a drizzle of Crema.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: