Carnitas Street Tacos

Ingredients

• 2 lbs pork shoulder, boneless and skinless
• 1 whole onion, white or yellow
• 6 whole garlic cloves
• 2 whole lime
• 12 whole corn tortillas, 6-inch
• 1 bundle fresh cilantro and white onion for serving
• 1 to taste salt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the pork shoulder into 3-inch chunks by placing the meat on a cutting board and slicing downward through it, creating roughly cube-shaped pieces.

2. 2

   Cut the onion into 4 pieces by slicing it in half from root to tip, then cutting each half in half again crosswise — you want thick quarter-rounds.

3. 3

   Lightly crush the 6 garlic cloves by laying them on the cutting board and pressing them with the flat side of a chef's knife until they crack open slightly.

4. 4

   Place the pork chunks, onion pieces, and crushed garlic into a large pot and cover with water until the meat is submerged about 1 inch under the surface.

5. 5

   Add 1 tablespoon of salt, stir once, and bring the pot to a boil over high heat — you'll see large rolling bubbles breaking the surface, about 10 minutes.

6. 6

   Reduce heat to medium-low so the liquid is barely simmering — just a few small bubbles gently breaking the surface — and cover the pot partially with a lid.

7. 7

   Cook uncovered for 2 hours, stirring once every 30 minutes, until the pork is fork-tender and shreds easily with a fork.

8. 8

   Drain the pork in a colander, discarding the liquid, onion, and garlic — the meat should break apart when you shake it.

9. 9

   Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until it's very hot — a drop of water should sizzle and evaporate immediately.

10. 10

    Add the drained pork to the hot skillet in a single layer and spread it out across the bottom, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon.

11. 11

    Cook for 8–10 minutes without stirring, until the pork on the bottom turns golden brown and crispy at the edges — check by lifting a small section with a spatula.

12. 12

    Stir the pork and cook for another 2 minutes until most of the surface has turned brown and crispy edges are visible throughout.

13. 13

    Squeeze the juice from both limes over the carnitas and season with additional salt and pepper to taste, then toss once.

14. 14

    Warm the tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20 seconds per side until pliable and lightly speckled.

15. 15

    Place a warm tortilla on your work surface and fill the center with a handful of carnitas, then top with a small pinch of fresh cilantro and diced white onion.

16. 16

    Fold the tortilla in half or leave it open-faced, depending on your preference, and serve immediately.

Tools you’ll need

• large pot with lid
• colander
• 12-inch skillet
• wooden spoon
• spatula
• cutting board
• chef's knife

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