Mexican · main

Crispy Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Red Onion

Name: Crispy Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Red Onion
Prep time: 2 h 52 min
Total time: 3 h 37 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: boneless pork — 1361 g; salt — 15 g; cumin — 5 g; dried leaf oregano — 1 g; black pepper — 3 g; white onion — 110 g; garlic — 18 g; orange — 100 g; limes — 130 g; bay — 2 g; water — 237 g; red onion — 110 g; apple cider vinegar — 177 g; granulated sugar — 13 g; corn tortillas — 1200 g; cilantro leaves — 30 g

Crispy Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Red Onion reads citrus 5.8, sourness 5.8 and sweetness 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mexican main, about 3 hr 37 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 4.2 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 6.2 / 10
Sour & Bright — 7.6 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.1 / 10
Rich & Fat — 4.2 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.8 · Sourness 5.8 · Sweetness 4.9 · Fruity 4.4 · Richness 4.0 · Allium 3.8 · Salinity 3.7 · Umami 3.6 · Herbaceous 3.0 · Earthy 1.9 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Floral 1.7 · Funk & Ferment 1.6 · Bitterness 1.1 · Nutty 0.8 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (16)

boneless pork — 1361 g
salt — 15 g
cumin — 5 g
dried leaf oregano — 1 g
black pepper — 3 g
white onion — 110 g
garlic — 18 g
orange — 100 g
limes — 130 g
bay — 2 g
water — 237 g
red onion — 110 g
apple cider vinegar — 177 g
granulated sugar — 13 g
corn tortillas — 1200 g
cilantro leaves — 30 g

Time & effort: about 3 hr 37 min (2 hr 52 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 181.4 kcal, 11 g protein, 3.3 g fat, 27.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

Combine the sugar, a pinch of the kosher salt, and the apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan; warm over medium heat, stirring, just until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Pour over the sliced red onion in a heatproof jar or bowl, making sure the onion is submerged, and set aside to pickle at room temperature while the pork cooks, at least 45 minutes.
Pat the pork chunks dry and toss in a large heavy pot with the remaining kosher salt, cumin, oregano, and black pepper until evenly coated.
Add the onion quarters, smashed garlic, orange halves (squeezing their juice into the pot first, then dropping the spent halves in), the halved lime, bay leaves, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a bare simmer, cover, and cook until the pork is fork-tender and reaches about 205 F internally, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, checking every 30 minutes to keep the liquid at a gentle simmer.
Uncover the pot for the final 30 minutes of that cooking time so the liquid reduces and begins to fry the pork in its own rendered fat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the pork edges start to turn deep golden, about 30 minutes.
Transfer the pork to a large bowl, discarding the orange, lime, bay leaves, and any large onion pieces (mash the softened garlic cloves into the meat if you like).
Shred the pork into bite-size pieces with two forks, spooning any flavorful fat and browned bits left in the pot back over it.
Preheat the broiler with a rack 6 inches from the heat. Spread the shredded pork in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan and broil until the edges are deeply crisped and browned in spots, 4 to 6 minutes, tossing once halfway through and watching closely so it doesn't burn.
While the pork broils, warm the corn tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet over medium heat until pliable and lightly charred in spots, about 20 seconds per side; stack in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
Pile the crispy carnitas onto the warm tortillas, top with the drained pickled red onion and chopped cilantro, and serve immediately with the lime wedges alongside.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Roasted Vegetable and Halloumi Sheet Pan — Greek
Greek Red Lentil Soup with Lemon — Greek
Carne Asada Burrito Bowl with Grilled Corn — Tex-Mex
Grilled Cuban Mojo Pork Chops — Cuban
Greek-Style Roasted Branzino with Lemon and Herbs — Greek

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, sweetness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.