Tacos are my love language. I could easily eat Mexican food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on repeat, making Taco Tuesday my favorite night of the week. Tacos are a food that are easily interchangeable with different meats and fun to play around with different toppings, which is why I like them so much. It’s also a great way to allow those picky eaters make their tacos just the way they like them. This recipe comes together in 10 minutes or less and still looks pretty too.
What are Carnitas?
Carnitas are a Mexican cuisine that are also referred to as the Mexican pulled-pork. They are traditionally made out of a pork shoulder, (also known as a pork butt) which is a cut of meat that generally has a higher fat content. This is good for cooking in a slow cooker because it helps keep the meat nice and tender and remains juicy throughout the entire cooking process. When the meat is done, it is shredded into small pieces that are often used in tacos or nachos. Fun fact: the word Carnitas means “little meats”.
What will you need?
Special Equipment:
Tacos are already easy to make and require very few kitchen gadgets. For this recipe you only need a microwave safe dish to cook the meat in and bowls for serving if you’re creating family assembly lines.
Ingredients:
- 1 pkg of Carnitas meat
- flour tortillas
- avocado
- cilantro
- cheese and jalapeños
[Optional] — I also like to make Bobby Flay’s Pickled Onion recipe to add some extra flavor to these tacos. Plus it adds a beautiful pop of color to the taco.
Other carnitas taco topping ideas:
If you’re one of those picky eaters I mentioned above, but you’re still intrigued by these carnitas tacos, some other toppings you could choose instead are:
- your favorite hot sauce
- cooked corn
- diced peppers
- black beans
- tomatoes
- sour cream or greek yogurt
- avocado crema via one of my favorite recipe blogs
- queso
- pico de gallo
Carnitas Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 pkg Costco Carnitas Meat
- Flour Tortillas
- Avocado cubed
- Jalapeno sliced
- Cotija cheese crumbled
- Cilantro for garnish
- Lime wedges for serving
- Pickled onions
Instructions
- Cook Carnitas meat according to package. For a crispier finish on the meat, satué in a skillet for a couple of minutes before assembling.
- Heat tortillas on gas stove grate or in a nonstick pan. I cook directly on the grates (about 20 seconds each side).
- Add toppings and enjoy!
Leave a comment below with your favorite taco toppings!