Pork carnitas tacos with tomatillo salsa verde

Deliciously tender pork with a quick & easy tomatillo salsa verde - these pork carnitas tacos are a truly delicious combination. Make the pork in the slow cooker or stovetop, as suits, it's hands-off cooking that will become a go-to meal.

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Many years ago now, I volunteered for a month at a center in Mexico. For people in the US, it's probably hard to appreciate the dramatic introduction to Mexican food I had - I had a very basic awareness, but at that time (and to a point even now) it was hard to get decent Mexican food in the UK.

One of the things I remembered having and instantly loved was salsa verde. As I've learned over the years, the Mexican version differs from the Southwest US version. The Mexican version might be more familiar as tomatillo salsa verde, but, whatever you call it, it is one of my favorite additions to Mexican food and pairs perfectly with tender pork carnitas.

What are tomatillos?

Tomatillos are small fruits that go by a number of names, including Mexican tomatoes. While they do look a little like green tomatoes, and are part of the same nightshade family, they are quite definitely different species. Tomatillos are distinctive in having a papery cover to them, similar to cape gooseberries (which also go by a few names) that they are more closely related to.

They have a relatively sharp flavor when raw but it mellows when cooked. They are a classic addition to Mexican salsa verde which is a wonderfully versatile sauce.

Variations on tomatillo salsa verde

Tomatillo salsa verde is essentially tomatillos, green chili and usually a little onion, cilantro and garlic. There are two or three basic methods to make it - roasting, boiling, or blending them up raw.

Each has it's own qualities, as you might expect: roasting gives a certain depth, raw is a bit more sharp and punchy, boiled is smoother and mellower. Boiled is what I was first introduced to and have made here. It's fantastically easy to make, too.

I love using any leftover salsa and tortillas to make chilaquiles verdes, and the sauce is also the base of pozole verde (chicken and hominy stew). So it's worth making extra!

What is pork carnitas?

Carnitas translates as "little meats" and is a dish that originates in Michoacán in Mexico. It's made with pork shoulder or pork butt, cooked slowly with herbs and spices until wonderfully tender.

In case you are thinking carnitas looks or sounds like pulled pork, it is a bit different. First, the seasoning are different - it's mainly citrus, garlic, oregano and cumin rather than a sweet and smoky mix. Then there's the fact you crisp it up at the end of cooking.

Traditionally, you braise the pork in lard (ie pork fat), but both sourcing lard is not quite as easy and it's a lot of fat. These days, many modern versions skip adding lard and instead add some citrus juice so that is cooks partly in the juice, partly in the fat that the meat releases. It makes for a slightly lighter end result, but still packed with flavor.

Serving and storing

Carnitas is, as I say, a classic to use as a filling for tacos and other Mexican dishes - you could add it to burritos, use to fill tortas (sandwiches) or make a plate with rice and beans. You could also use it in place of chicken in flautas and so much more.

The meat is tender and full of flavor, so doesn't need all that much to go with it. I highly recommend the salsa verde, here, and a little and queso fresco or cotija. If you like, add a few pieces of avocado and/or pickled red onions to really finish it off.

If you want to add some extra sides, you could try some mango jicama slaw, some refried black beans or some slow cooker charro beans. And if you have leftover tomatillos, why not make some tomatillo salsa.

Any leftover carnitas will keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for a couple days or you can store in the freezer for a few months. Defrost in the fridge, then when ready to re-heat, simply warm in a skillet/frying pan and create those crispy edges as you would for the final stage in cooking. We love using leftovers to top nachos or make quesadillas.

The salsa also stores well in a container in the fridge for a couple days or can be frozen for longer storage.

These pork carnitas with tomatillo salsa verde are such a delicious option for Taco Tuesday or any other excuse you want to come up with. Easy to make, flavorful and such a great mix.

Like tacos? Try these!

• Tacos al pastor (grilled)
• Jerk shrimp tacos
• Sweet potato tacos 
• Slow cooker chicken mole and carne asada are both great in tacos too!
• Plus get more ideas in the Mexican recipes archives.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Pork carnitas tacos with tomatillo salsa verde

Delicious slow cooked pork, a quick & easy salsa, and all with so much flavor.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time6 hours hrs

Total Time6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 8 or more/less depending how used

Calories: 617kcal

Author: Caroline

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Ingredients

0.5x1x2x3x

US CustomaryMetric

For tomatillo salsa verde

• 8 oz tomatillos
• 2 green chilis eg jalapeno, serrano (or more/less to taste)
• ½ onion small
• 8 stems fresh cilantro/coriander (approx), main stem removed
• 1 clove garlic

For carnitas

• ½ onion
• 3 lb pork shoulder or eg Boston butt
• 4 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ cup orange juice

To make up tacos (suggested, but may need more/less)

• 8 tortillas small, corn or wheat as you prefer
• 1 avocado
• 1 oz queso fresco or cotija cheese or a little more as needed

Instructions

For salsa verde

• Remove the papery casing from the tomatillos and wash off any stickiness. Place them whole along with the chilis in a pan of boiling water and simmer, uncovered, for approx 10 minutes.
• Drain the pan and put the tomatillos and chilis in a blender or food processor along with the roughly diced onion, cilantro and roughly chopped garlic. Blend until smooth then transfer to a dish. The sauce can be covered and refrigerated for a few days until needed, as suits. You may just need to add a little water to thin it slightly before using.

For carnitas

• Pat dry the pork and cut into chunks around 2in/5cm cubes. Crush the garlic and mix it with the salt, paprika, oregano and cumin. You can add a little oil, if you like, to make it slightly easier to rub on the pork but I don't find it's usually needed. Rub the mixture all over the meat (don't worry if it doesn't spread over completely). Cut the onion into slices.

For slow cooker method

• Place the onion in the bottom of a slow cooker in a layer.
• Put the chunks of meat into the slow cooker, on top of the onion, and pour over the orange juice. Turn on low and leave to cook for approx 7-8 hours.

For stove top method

• Warm a little oil in a Dutch oven/heavy based pot/pan over a medium-high heat so that you get a thin layer over the bottom. Add the pieces of meat and cook for a couple minutes each side to sear them. Once they are seared all over, create a slight space to once side and add the onion and cook a couple minutes to gently soften.
• Mix the onion through the pork, pour over the orange juice and bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce the heat so that the liquid continues to simmer and cook, turning the pork now and then and if needed, adding a little extra orange juice. The pork doesn't need to be submerged in liquid - just halfway is fine - but you don't want it to become dry. Cook until the meat is fall apart tender, around 1 ½ - 2 hours.

For both methods - to finish

• Once pork is cooked, remove the chunks of meat and shred with two forks. To crisp up the edges, warm a little oil in a skillet/frying pan and cook just enough of the meat at a time so that you have a thin layer. Turn after a couple minutes and cook another couple minutes until you get crispy edges on a few sides.
• Make up the tacos with some of the meat, some tomatillo salsa verde, a few cubes or slices of avocado and a bit of cheese crumbled on top, or to your taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 617kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 514mg | Potassium: 803mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 3.1mg

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This post was first shared in September 2016 and has been updated, primarily with new photos and additional information.

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