Pork Carnitas Taco Bar!
I think we all get that pork and tacos are amazing, so I’m not going to waste your time or mine saying something we all know. But what you might not know is that making pork carnitas and spinning up a bomb taco bar is within your reach. This is one of those things that sounds like it will be a lot of work but here are the three steps 1) put pork in the oven for 3 hours 2) chop up all things and 3) place everything in pretty bowls and platters for your guests to make themselves amazing tacos. I know it isn’t classy to brag about yourself but you wouldn’t believe the compliments I got for something so low effort. If you’re a #businessbitch like I am, let me put it in terms you’ll understand: this taco bar will deliver the highest ROI of anything you could make for a dinner party.
I did a good amount of research into carnitas. I know, I’m adding “Carnitas Expert” to my LinkedIn skill immediately. I saw lots of versions with things like chile, oranges, orange juice, onions, garlic, and bay leaves. But the recurring theme in all of the authentic recipes was that the best carnitas are very simple. They focused on cooking the pork in it’s own fat, followed by crisping it up, for perfect carnitas. And that’s the version I went with: just some garlic, bay leaves, and salt. And the result was, as I mentioned, a showstopping carnitas taco. As long as the cut of meat is one that has some fat, like shoulder or butt, you will in good shape.
You can go crazy with the toppings or keep it simple. I made this for a dinner party for a group of 8 so I went the extra mile but the pork is so good, just a simple green salsa (store bought is fine), onions, and cilantro are more than enough.
Serves 6-8
For the pork
4-5 lb pork shoulder/Boston butt
1 head of garlic, skins separated and cloves lightly crushed
4-5 bay leaves
Generous amount of Kosher salt
For the green salsa, if you want to make your own
5-8 tomatillos, husks removed and washed, quartered
4-5 spring onion stalks, cut into threes
3-4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 jalapeno or 1 de-seeded habanero, chopped into big chunks
salt to taste
For the taco bar
2 dozen corn tortillas, heated before serving. Keep wrapped in a clean kitchen towel.
5-8 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 large white onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cabbage, thinly sliced
4 medium avocados or 3 large avocados
queso fresco or other crumbly, white cheese
chopped cilantro
salt to taste
4 limes quartered, 2 limes, halved (6 total)
Method
Preheat the oven to 275 F.
Prepare the pork. Cut the pork into 1 inch cubes. Take a wide pan or heavy-bottomed cast iron pan or dutch oven and arrange the pork chunks onto the pan. Scatter the garlic cloves and bay leaf, and season generously with salt. Cover with a tight-fitting lid or heavy-duty foil. Place in the oven and let cook for 3 hours.
Once hour before your guest arrive, make the salsa (if you’re not using store-bought salsa). Place all of the ingredients under “For the green salsa” on a cookie sheet and season with salt. Turn the broiler on high and place the tray under the broiler for 8-10 mins. Remove from the oven and puree in a blender. Taste for salt and set aside in a bowl to cool.
Then, prepare the rest of the toppings: radishes,onions, cabbage, cheese, and cilantro. For the cabbage, season with salt and juice of one lime. Mix well and set aside to soften. Prepare the avocado - pit and smash the flesh in a bowl. Season the avocado with salt and lime juice to taste and set aside.
Once the timer goes off for the pork, remove from the oven and carefully remove the lid - the steam will be SUPER HOT! Then, remove each piece onto a cookie sheet. Now turn off the oven and turn the broiler on high. Place the cookie sheet with the pork pieces under the broiler and broil for 7-8 mins or until you see browning and crispy bits. Then remove from the oven and onto your serving platter.
Lastly, warm the tortillas about 5 minutes before you’re ready to serve. I warm them directly on the fire on the my gas stove, for less than a minute on each side. You can also throw them in the oven after you turn it off, or in a dry skillet. Wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to keep them moist.
Arrange everything and commence your taco bar party!
