Carnitas tacos with tomatillo salsa. Way out of my comfort zone and loving every second of it.
Having some boneless pork shoulder in the freezer, all cut up in 2-inch cubes, it was only the right course of action to make carnitas with them.
For the Carnitas Tacos, you can boil the pork the day before.
Bring it back to room temperature before proceeding with the final cooking step.
The combination of grapefruit, I have a tree in my backyard that gives out the sweetest juice of them all, and the milk leaves the meat with a savory flavor.
Once all cooked off the meat will sear to perfection because of the sweetness left on it by both milk and grapefruit.
At this point, you can prepare any sauce you wish.
Below is an adaptation from one of my favorite Mexican cookbooks, “Mexico The Beautiful Cookbook,” which is no longer on prints
Here is where it gets exciting and a bit challenging for me. I do not embrace spicy hot food, thus making it a bit challenging for the sauce to go alongside.
However, I did make it a bit more tolerable for my palate.
I am giving you the recipe for Carnitas tacos with tomatillo sauce and avocado with the whole spicy hot sauce.
If you are like me, there are a few things that you can omit.
~ First of all I decided to go with Poblanos peppers instead of Serrano peppers. The poblanos are milder in flavor than the serranos counterparts.
Replace the poblanos with the serrano if you like hot in the recipe.
~ Another of my little changes, I took off the seeds of the poblano before blending them into a puree.
The seeds pack the heat. Keep the seeds if you like the heat.
I sure did not make enough as it was gone at the speed of light.
Flour and corn taco-size tortillas are warmed before serving. We also had some extra lime to squeeze over it all.
As well as radishes and queso fresco to add to it as per our preference.
If you enjoy those delicious carnitas tacos with tomatillo salsa, look at my other recipes.
Carnitas Tacos with Tomatillo Sauce and Avocado
Ingredients
CARNITAS
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ onion, outer skin removed and left intact
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 6 cups water
- 2 tablespoons lard
- ½ cup grapefruit juice
- ½ cup whole milk
TOMATILLO SAUCE WITH AVOCADO
- 3 poblanos peppers
- 14 ounces tomatillos, husk removed
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cilantro, freshly chopped
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
- ⅓ cup onion, finely chopped
Instructions
CARNITAS
- Place the pork, water, onion, garlic, and salt in a large pot or Dutch oven. Cook covered over medium heat for 1 to 1 ½ hour or until the pork is tender. Transfer the meat to a colander and drain.
- Melt the lard in a saucepan. As soon as it bubbles add the grapefruit juice and milk and then the pork. Cook uncovered, over medium heat until the meat is browned, about 20 minutes. The juice and milk will cook off leaving the pork to brown.
TOMATILLO SAUCE WITH AVOCADO
- Place the fresh poblano peppers in a large saucepan of boiling water. After 5 minutes add the tomatillos. After 3 minutes. Remove the peppers and tomatillos and drain.
- Puree the poblanos, tomatillos, garlic, vinegar in a blender. Add the salt and cilantro and blend. For 2 short cycles.
- In a bowl combine the puree, avocado and onion. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Nutrition
Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Dinners, Pork, Sunday Night Dinner
- Cuisine: International
Did you make this?
Leave a comment below and tag @giangiskitchen on Instagram
Mayuri Patel
I’d love to try the tomatillo sauce with avocado as an alternate to the usual salsa and guacamole that I prepare whenever I make a veggie version of tacos or burrito.
Giangi Townsend
Thank you, Mayuri for stopping by Giangi’s Kitchen.
You will love the tomatillo sauce. We also have been enjoying it with cheese quesadillas. Mild with a light hint of heat.
Maria
That’s a really new way of cooking meat for me. I’m intrigued and want to try it with beef. The sauce sounds very delicious! I’ll make the full hot version. 😁
Giangi Townsend
Thank you Maria and please let me know how you and your family like the hot version. ❤️
xoxo
Giangi