Pork butt/shoulder is one of my favorite things to make, specially when I am trying to stock my freezer for easy warm up and go meals. That is how this Green Pork Tacos were created. I used my recipe for pork carnitas but instead of browning the meat under the broiler to make it crispy, I simmered the shredded pork in a delicious made from scratch salsa verde. You can portion the green pork, freeze it and made different meals out of it. Tacos, of course; quesadillas, bowls, burritos, tostadas. So many delicious options.
You know how I feel about flour tortillas (they are for breakfast tacos) so corn tortillas are a must for these tacos. I served these tacos with crumbled queso fresco and pickled onions, I love all the different textures and flavors on these tacos. Add some fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime to finish. So, so good!
Check out the link for my quick pickle onions below. If you don’t like a lot of heat, just do the red onions and leave out the jalapeños. I don’t think the Green Pork is spicy but all palates are different. Maybe you don’t want to add any extra heat, or maybe you do! Just don’t skip the pickle onions, they are so good on these tacos. I hope you love them as much as we do.
Link for my Spicy pickled onions below
Spicy Pickled Onions/ Escabeche – Marisol Cooks
Green Pork Tacos/ Salsa Verde Pork Tacos
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 lb Pork butt/shoulder
- 2 to 3 bay leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 onion, core attached for easier removal
- 1/2 tablespoon dry oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 orange
- 1 1/2 cups water
- –For the Salsa Verde–
- 5 tomatillos ( about 5)
- 3 jalapeno pepper
- small piece of onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon oil
- salt to taste
- Corn tortillas for serving
- Queso fresco, pickled onions, cilantro and lime for garnish.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Trim some fat off the pork butt, cut it into large chunks, and place the meat in a medium Dutch oven. Add the bay leaves, minced garlic, ½ onion, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Juice the orange and add both the juice and the remnants to the pot. Pour in 1 ½ cups of water—just enough to barely cover the meat.
- Cover and bake for about 2 to 2 ½ hours, or until the pork is fork-tender.
- While the pork is cooking, prepare the salsa verde. In a medium saucepan, add the jalapeños, onion, and garlic. Cover with water and boil for 5 minutes, until the jalapeños turn pale green.
- Remove the husks from the tomatillos, rinse them well, and add them to the saucepan. Boil for about 5 minutes, until the tomatillos also turn pale green. Turn off the heat and let them cool. Be careful not to overcook the tomatillos—if they burst, the salsa may become bitter.
- Remove the pork from the oven and transfer it to a plate. Shred the meat with two forks and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium-low heat.
- Add the jalapeños, tomatillos, onion, and garlic to a blender. Season with salt and blend until smooth, adding a little water if needed. Reserve some salsa for serving, if desired.
- Carefully pour the salsa into the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes. Lower the heat, add the shredded pork, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Warm the corn tortillas on a hot griddle, about 1–2 minutes per side. Assemble the tacos with the pork and top with queso fresco, pickled red onions, and extra salsa.
- Enjoy!
I’m making this right now. My kitchen smells wonderful! I used fresh poblano chile instead of jalapeño in the onions, and they’re busy percolating on my counter.
If it tastes have as good as it smells, I’ll be a happy cook.
The recipe proportions are accurate, but I did need to add another 1/2 cut water.
These are great, but- recipe never says how to “warm tortillas”. Yours looks lightly blackened or grilled. I have problem with them falling apart after meat / toppings added!
Hi Nancy! Thank you for your feedback. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. For this one, I warmed the corn tortillas directly over the open flame of my gas stove. If you don’t have a gas stove, you can use a griddle or a hot skillet instead. I don’t recommend using the microwave. I hope this helps