Carnitas Walking Tacos

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Total: 5 hr 20 min
  • Active: 50 min
A walking taco (also known as taco in a bag) is a popular party and concession stand food around here, and it's both fun and convenient since all of the toppings get piled into a bag of chips. Walking tacos are commonly made with a ground beef mixture, but with this recipe I've gone with carnitas, slow-cooked pork, because carnitas tacos are SO GOOD.
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Ingredients

One 4- to 5-pound lean boneless pork shoulder

5 cloves garlic, smashed 

2 bay leaves 

1 medium white onion, cut into large chunks (about 6.6 ounces or 187 grams), plus 1/2 small white onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ancho chile powder (substitute regular chili powder if you prefer) 

1 tablespoon ground cumin 

Pinch ground cloves 

Juice of 3 oranges (or 3/4 cup) 

Juice of 2 limes (or 1/4 cup), plus a few lime wedges, for serving 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

Six 1-ounce bags tortilla chips 

Chili Lime Sour Cream, recipe follows, or plain sour cream

2 radishes, thinly julienned

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Green hot sauce, for garnish 

Chili Lime Sour Cream:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon chili powder, plus more for garnish 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for garnish 

Zest of 1 lime 

Directions

  1. Place the pork shoulder, garlic, bay leaves, large chunks of onion, ancho chile powder, cumin, cloves, orange juice, lime juice, 1 tablespoon salt, a generous amount of black pepper and 1/2 cup water in the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook until the meat is tender and can easily be shredded with a fork, 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
  2. Remove the pork to a large bowl and use two forks to shred. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork and 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the pork is crispy and dark brown, about 15 minutes. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil, pork and 1/2 cup cooking liquid (discard the remaining liquid), another 15 minutes.
  3. Open the tortilla chip bags and crush a few of the chips. Gently roll down the tops of the bags about a third of the way. Fill the bags with some dollops of sour cream, then pork, then garnish with the finely chopped onions, radishes, cilantro and a few dashes of hot sauce. Serve with the lime wedges.

Chili Lime Sour Cream:

  1. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, chili powder, salt and lime zest. Set aside.

Let's Get Cooking!

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Anonymous

The first time I ever made this recipe it was Delicious and amazing you are Amazing <br />Thank you 6+4=10

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