When it comes to tacos, Pork Carnitas Tacos are the best of the best. When I was in Mexico last year, much research was done to hunt down the BEST carnitas joints that the locals haunt!
Mexicans take their Carnitas tacos seriously because it is so mouth wateringly delicious. Succulent, slow cooked seasoned pork, shredded and stuffed into tacos. I am so obsessed, these are what I made for the cooking demo I did at the 2016 Sydney Good Food & Wine Show on the weekend!!!
It’s been 2 years since I posted my Pork Carnitas recipe which, to this day, remains as one of my all time most popular recipes. I’ve made it countless times since, and I am honestly not exaggerating when I say that I almost always have bags of frozen Carnitas in my freezer.
They are that easy, that good, and that versatile. Verified by the hundreds of readers who have left their feedback on the recipe!
So when Murray Valley Pork asked me to do a cooking demo at this years’ Sydney Good Food & Wine Show (just, you know, the biggest foodie event of the year!!), there was no contention – I had to do Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos!!
GOOD FOOD & WINE SHOW update!
The Sydney Good Food & Wine Show took place on the weekend just gone and I was so excited to be there doing cooking demos for Murray Valley Pork!! I planned for it meticulously, practiced the recipes over and over, slapped on the makeup and packed an entire suitcase full of kitchen gear to take (no joke). And I had all my Baby Fingers tightly crossed that it would go exactly to plan.
It did not.
I forgot to use most of the garnishes and sides for everything I made, wanting to make everything look pretty.
I completely buggered up a sauce.
I tried to salvage it, then buggered up the salvage attempt. So I had to remake it from scratch.
A pork tenderloin “jumped out” of the oven onto the floor.
And when I went to the bathroom after the demo, I realised I had a chunks of pork in my hair. 😉
It was SO MUCH FUN!!!
As strange as it sounds, all those bloopers just made it even MORE fun! With every bugger up I made, I just laughed my way through it, along with the audience!
Wow, what an experience. I loved chatting to people, loved talking about why it makes a difference to get to your butcher for Murray Valley Pork, loved being behind the scenes and getting my hands dirty (literally!). And most of all, I loved being able to actually share my food with people in real life, not just through the computer screen. We were only handing out samples, but still! It was a hint of reality of why I enjoy doing what I do – because good food isn’t just about cooking and photographing the food, it’s about sharing it!
And by popular demand….yes….a little VIDEO of the Sydney Good Food & Wine Show! 🙂
So today, I wanted to share with you the Pork Carnitas tacos that I made at the Good Food and Wine Show. Albeit I forgot most of the sides and garnishes during the show!!!
This spread is my copycat of the Carnitas tacos at Old Town Mexican Cafe in San Diego that my friend Kevin from Kevin Is Cooking took me to when I visited a couple of months ago. With San Diego being only 30 minutes from the border of Mexico, there is seriously good (and real) Mexican food there, and the Carnitas at Old Town Mexican Cafe are reputed to be the best in town!
I don’t want to come off as obnoxious, but I did declare to Kevin that I truly think my Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas are pretty darn close to the Old Town Mexican Cafe ones. 🙂
So I made my Pork Carnitas taco spread complete with refried beans (made by dressing up canned refried beans), a chipotle tomato salsa sauce just like Old Town Mexican Cafe. Here are some iPhoto snaps from when I went. What do you think? Does mine look similar? 😉
Juicy, tender pulled pork with the all important golden crunchy bits. Here’s a nice little close up of the Pork Carnitas. Nice sight, hmm??? 🙂
Creamy avocado and refried beans. Juiciness from tomato, zing from onion, and a fresh kick from the spicy tomato salsa sauce, finished with a squeeze of lime.
No sour cream and no cheese here! That’s not the way tacos are served in Mexico! But I would never judge if you had to have them…. – Nagi x
PS Couple more classic moments from the Show:
1. When my brother yelled out “more pork, less talk!” in the middle of the demo!! Everybody laughed and Murray Valley Pork declared it to be a fabulous new tag line!
2. Right in front of the client, my mother peered at my face and screeched “are you wearing fake eyelashes??” (Where is the eye roll emoticon when I need it??!!)
And more tacos
-
Quick Chicken Tacos – 2 in 1 recipe, shredded taco seasoned chicken AND taco sauce
-
Beef Tacos – the old school way
-
Fish Tacos – marinated and grilled, healthy and delicious!
-
Shredded Beef Tacos – tender slow cooked shredded beef in a deep flavoured Mexican sauce
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Pork Carnitas Tacos
Ingredients
- Pork Carnitas
- Spicy Tomato Salsa Sauce
- Small tortillas (corn or flour)
- Avocado slices
- Tomato slices
- Lime wedges
- White onions , finely sliced or diced
- Coriander / cilantro leaves
- Grated cheese
Dressed Up Canned Refried Beans (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion (white, brown or yellow)
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 14 oz / 435 g can refried beans (I use Old El Paso)
- 1 tsp onion powder (or garlic powder)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
Refried Beans
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, saute for 3 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients except sour cream and stir to combine. Add about 1/4 cup sour cream, stir, then add more to achieve your desired consistency. Once the beans are heated, remove from heat.
Pork Carnitas Tacos
- Warm tortillas, according to packet instructions.
- Pile up Pork Carnitas on a plate.
- Spoon Refried Beans onto a plate and top with grated cheese.
- Place coriander, lime, onion, tomato and avocado onto a plate.
- Serve with Spicy Tomato Salsa on the side as the sauce!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Where was Dozer? He was sent to a friends’ place for the day – another retriever called Ollie! I wasn’t allowed to take him to the show. Something about hygiene rules? Bah! 😉 People wanted to meet him!
Maybe next year…..
I haven’t found a recipe of ; yours that I don’t like. Fabulous!
Today is our first cool day and I’m making Carnitas. I grew up (in the 50s) eating Carnitas because the Mexican population was very large in my tiny western Kansas town. Your recipe is excellent. The only change I make is using Mexican Organo instead of regular oregano. I think of back home and street vendors every time I eat a carnitas taco…
Where can I find the recipe for the Spicy Tomato Salsa Sauce?
Hi, I’m from Japan and live in the U.S. I like this recipe and I cooked it 3,4 times. I always wonder if I can use this leftover carnitas juice for something like soup… Do you have any ideas???
We need a tortilla recipe
I agree, Old El Paso refried beans need some flavor. I’m in US, do you have access to Taco Bell canned refried beans?
Can you share the recipe for the chipotle tomato salsa sauce mentioned in this post?
Hi TB, I’ll have to write it up! N x
Love your site and recipes!! Just tried the pork carnitas and although they tasted amazing I couldn’t get them to crisp 🙁 how long should it take?
Hi Suraj, it should take too long – try a little more oil in the pan and a higher heat ❤️
It looks as though you had loads of fun, I’m sure everyone loved your yummy tacos. We thought they were delicious. I’ve never been a fan of refried beans but with your tweaks, they tasted suprisingly good. The taco sauce is awesome.
That’s great to hear Sherry!!!
Hi! Love your site and recipes!! Just tried the pork carnitas and although they tasted amazing I couldn’t get them to crisp 🙁 how long should it take?
Hi Nina, you really need to have them in the pan without moving the meat – give them enough time and a little oil to fry to a crisp on the bottom – N x
Making this again tonight. This recipe is so delicious and easy! Thank you!
You’re so welcome Cindy!
Hello! This looks AMAZING! I can’t seem to find a recipe for the spicy tomato salsa sauce though, could you assist? Thank you!
Another winner! Great recipe, easy and crisping it made all the difference. I’m going to use the leftovers in your taco soup recipe tomorrow. LOVE your site!
Ps greetings from Calgary 😁
Hi Lauren – here is a link https://www.recipetineats.com/taco-sauce/ Enjoy!!
This came out great! I’m freezing the leftovers and can’t wait to enjoy it again and again! I served it with cilantro and radishes and a fresh pico de gallo. YUM.
Perfect Kathy!!!
I made this tonight for dinner to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. I mean no disrespect to my favorite local Mexican restaurant — but this beat it! Absolutely delicious, my family is still raving about it! I love your site and make many of your recipes but haven’t posted before. Thank you so much and, please, keep ’em coming!
Woah what a great compliment, thanks so much Marilyn!
I made this tonight for my daughter’s birthday dinner. Everyone loved it and the refried beans were to die for!
Woot! Great news Cindy!
Is there a recipe for the spicy tomato salsa sauce?
There sure is Allyson! Just search it 🙂
I made the carnitas recipe last week, and used it to make delicious enchiladas with tomatillo sauce. SO good. I have some leftover carnitas in the freezer, and will make these tacos soon. Thank you!
I’m so pleased to hear that J! Thanks for letting me know! N xx ❤️
Hi Nagi
I am from Australia but holidaying in Canada and I just discovered your site while nostalgically flipping through some Aussie recipes. Wow, what a find. I can hardly wait to get home and try your delicious recipes. They all sound fantastic. I won’t be home for another seven weeks or so, that should give me lots of time to check out your entire site.
Loved the story about your cooking demo. LOL
Hi Chris! Hope you’re having an amazing time over there, I was in Calgary just a couple of months ago! Quick trip visiting a friend 🙂 Glad you see some recipes you like the look of! N x
Hi Nagi,
Made this for a birthday dinner and it turned out really good! I’m not experienced with cooking meats so I thought I’d mess it up somehow but I followed your instructions and it turned out so good!
Other things that made this experience great:
– Easy to follow recipe, simple but detailed and informative (about making sure to make them crispy only on the outsides)
– Easy to gather ingredients, economical too!
– Easy to prep and cook!
– Reading through your informative responses in the comments was helpful in preparing for this recipe
– The video for these carnitas was helpful too, especially the part where you bring in the shredded meat to make the sides crispy with the juices
– Birthday boy has many allergies and needed a paleo friendly meal, this fit the bill!
– Intensity of the flavor was just right
– I like your dog in the food photos (that immediately caught my attention)
– I like that you don’t follow trends and stick to recipes that resonates with you
I’m definitely coming back to your site to look for more recipes! Thank you!
That’s so great to hear Ellen! Thank you for letting me know! N xx
Nagi–
As with all of your recipes, these carnitas are FABULOUS! I am a rancher in Wyoming, USA and it is truly a treat to find excellent, creative dishes that I enjoy preparing for my family and crews. These carnitas are a crowd favorite, especially when paired with homemade tortillas and a cold Mexican beer! Thanks!
Rancher? SO COOL! (I’m just a boring city slicker!) PS I love your name – N xx
Can you fry the Pork ahead of time before the company arrives? If so, any suggestion to keep warm without drying out? I was thinking of putting back in crock pot on low?
Hi Susan! yes crockpot is best 🙂 This is so juicy, it keeps really well. Maybe reserve a little juice and drizzle it on just before serving!
Thanks Nagi 🙂