Pork Taco Meat Recipes

TACO MEAT

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Season beef with onion powder, garlic salt, celery salt, and cumin. Pour tomato sauce over the beef, stir to coat, and simmer until thickened, slightly, about 5 minutes.

BRAISED PORK TACOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper, to taste, and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Pat the pork dry with a paper towel. Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over high heat with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan. Put the pork in the pot and evenly brown the meat all over, it will take about 10 to 12 minutes; remove the pork to a plate and reserve.
• Turn heat down to medium-high, and add the extra-virgin olive oil to the pot, a couple of turns of the pan. Add the onions and garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, the oregano, 1 sliced chili pepper and 2 bay leaves and cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Deglaze the pot with the beer, scraping up the bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Stir in the chicken stock and orange juice. Add the reserved pork back to the pot (the liquid should come about 2/3 the way up the meat) and bring to a simmer. Cover and put the pork in the oven, turning the meat halfway through cooking, until the meat is very tender, about 2 1/2-3 hours. Remove the pork from the pot, to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat apart with 2 forks.
• Simmer the braising liquid over medium heat until reduced by half. Add the chipotle and adobo sauce and the lime juice. Add about 2/3 of the shredded meat and stir. Cool the remaining shredded pork and chill for another use.
• While the pork is cooking, prepare the pickled red onions: in a small saucepot, bring the white wine vinegar, sugar, teaspoon of salt, remaining chili pepper and bay leaves to a simmer over low heat. Put the sliced red onions in a small sealable container. Carefully pour the hot liquid over the onions, cover and give it a shake. You may need to lift the lid to release some of the pressure. Every now and then, give it a good shake. Refrigerate to cool.
• To serve, put the chipotle pulled pork on a platter and garnish with pickled onions and pickled jalapeno slices. Serve with shredded cabbage, crumbled cheese and tortillas for wrapping.

MEXICAN-STYLE PORK TACOS (TACOS AL PASTOR) RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Slice the pork shoulder into about 1-centimeter (¼ in) slices, then transfer to a large dish or bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the achiote paste, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, vinegar, and pineapple juice, mashing and stirring until smooth with no lumps. Pour the marinade over the pork slices, then toss to make sure they are coated on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
• Place a slice or two of the pineapple on the baking sheet. Take a wooden skewer and push it directly in the middle of the pineapple. Remove the pork from the fridge and push the slices through the skewer, layering one after the other until there is a 1-inch (2 ½ cm) gap at the top. Push another pineapple slice on top.
• Bake for about 1½ hours, until the pork is slightly charred on the outside and deep red. Rest the meat for about 10 minutes, then carve off thin slices of pork and roasted pineapple.
• To assemble, place some pork on the tortillas, followed by a few pieces of pineapple, a sprinkling of onion, a pinch of cilantro, and a spoonful of salsa, and some diced avocado. Serve with lime wedges.
• Enjoy!

SLOW-COOKER PORK TACOS

Steps:

• Put the ancho and pasilla chiles and the garlic in a bowl; add 2 to 3 tablespoons water. Microwave on high until soft and pliable, 2 to 3 minutes. Stem and seed the chiles; peel the garlic. Transfer the chiles and garlic to a blender.
• Add the chipotles, onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, honey, vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt and the oregano to the blender; puree until smooth. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat; add the chile sauce and fry, stirring, until thick and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Pour in the broth and reduce until slightly thickened.
• Season the pork all over with salt and pepper and transfer to a large slow cooker. Add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick, then pour in the sauce. Cover and cook on high until the meat is tender, about 5 hours. (Or cook the meat in a large Dutch oven, covered, for 1 hour 45 minutes at 350 degrees; uncover and cook 30 more minutes.)
• Discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Shred the pork with 2 forks; season with salt and pepper. Serve the shredded pork in the tortillas, along with toppings.

CARNITAS (MEXICAN SLOW COOKER PULLED PORK)

Steps:

• Rinse and dry the pork shoulder, rub all over with salt and pepper.
• Combine the Rub ingredients then rub all over the pork.
• Place the pork in a slow cooker (fat cap up), top with the onion, jalapeño, minced garlic (don't worry about spreading it) and squeeze over the juice of the oranges.
• Slow Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 7 hours. (Note 2 for other cook methods)
• Pork should be tender enough to shred. Remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly. Then shred using two forks.
• Optional: Skim off the fat from the juices remaining in the slow cooker and discard.
• If you have a lot more than 2 cups of juice, then reduce it down to about 2 cups. The liquid will be salty, it is the seasoning for the pork. Set liquid aside - don't bother straining onion etc, it's super soft.

SIZZLING PORK TACOS

Steps:

• Season the pork generously with salt and pepper. Add the garlic, chile powder and cumin, and mix well, massaging the seasoning into the meat with fingers. Let the meat marinate for at least an hour, or refrigerate overnight.
• Heat the oil in a wide cast iron skillet over medium heat. When the oil looks wavy, add the meat and let it sizzle, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep meat warm.
• Heat the tortillas on an ungreased hot griddle or cast iron pan. Turn them once or twice until hot and slightly puffed. As they come off the griddle, stack them on a cloth napkin to steam, with another napkin on top.
• To assemble the tacos, stack 2 hot tortillas on a plate. Spoon on a little sizzled pork, then top with a spoonful of tomatillo salsa and another of salsa cruda. Garnish with radishes and cilantro sprigs. Serve and eat immediately.

GROUND PORK TACOS

Steps:

• Brown the ground pork in a large skillet.
• Add in undrained tomatoes, onion, and seasonings.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is gone- about 10 minutes.
• Spoon mixture into tortillas or taco shells, garnish as desired, and enjoy!

CRAVE-WORTHY GROUND PORK TACOS

Steps:

• Heat a wide skillet over medium heat then add the oil. When the oil is hot, press the pork down into the pan, spreading it out as thin as you can so that it browns evenly on one side, about 5 minutes.
• When it begins to brown on one side, use a wooden spoon to break the pork up into small crumbles. Continue to cook until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes.
• Toss 1 tablespoon of the taco seasoning with the pork. Taste a small crumble to see if it needs more seasoning and adjust from there - when using our homemade taco seasoning mix, we use 2 tablespoons.
• Stir in the water and let it come to a simmer. The mixture will thicken and coat the pork. Season with a pinch or two of salt (if you are using packaged seasoning, it may already have salt added).
• Wrap tortillas, in two stacks, with aluminum foil. Place into the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through. Fill each warmed tortilla with pork and your favorite toppings. We particularly love these with mashed avocado spread onto the bottom of each tortilla then topped with pork, cabbage, pickled onions and sour cream.

THE BEST CARNITAS TACOS (PULLED PORK TACOS!)

Steps:

• Start by making the Mexican Pork Carnitas. This will take you about 8 hours to make in your slow cooker or in a pot.
• In a medium-sized bowl, mash the avocados with the lime juice, garlic, and salt.
• Put a scoop of carnitas in a tortilla, add a spoonful of the mashed avocados (guacamole), top with a sprinkle of minced red onions and any or all of the optional toppings.

30 LEFTOVER TACO MEAT RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
• Cook lasagna noodles according to package. Drain and set to the side.
• Take out a 9x13 pan and spread a thin layer of salsa on the bottom, then 3 lasagna noodles covering it. Continue to layer the lasagna as follows: salsa, refried beans, taco meat, sour cream, Mexican cheese, lasagna noodles. Repeat until all lasagna noodles are used up.
• On the top layer, spread an even layer of salsa and Mexican cheese. Top with whites of green onions.
• Cover the Taco Lasagna with foil and cook for 25-30 minutes until heated through.
• Uncover and cook for another 5 minutes. This will melt the cheese on top.
• Remove from oven and top with dollops of sour cream and spread remaining green onions on top.
• Enjoy immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, reheating prior to eating.

PORK TACO MEAT

Steps:

• Cube the pork steaks, cutting off much of the fat.
• Brown the meat (and bones) in the oil.
• I usually let it go for about 30 minutes or so.
• Drain.
• I drain into a measuring cup and refrigerate, so I can scrape off the fat and put the juice back in.
• Add the seasonings, tomato sauce and water to cover (enough so you'll have a good gravy) Cover and let go until pork is tender.
• 40 minutes should do it, but I usually let it go and hour or two, so the pork just melts in your mouth.