Love my tacos. Granted, I got my start on the Tex-Mex/Cal-Mex hard shell tacos in the USA, but Ive been getting some great regional tacos from some Mexican ex-pats here in Australia. One of my favs is served as a meny item at the local microbrewery.... Recipe by La Tortilleria
TACOS DE COCHINITA PIBIL PULLED PORK TACOS
SERVES: 5 COOKING TIME: 220 MINUTES
‘Pibil’ is a Mayan word for buried, which refers to the traditional method of cooking in an underground fire pit, covered with banana leaves. Traditionally, the recipe is made with Seville oranges that grow in the Yucatan and have a bitter, acidic flavour. Here we use orange juice mixed with white vinegar, which works well to create that authentic flavour. The rich orange colour of the dish comes from the achiote paste, made from annatto seeds. Although simple to prepare, this dish takes time, so plan ahead!
INGREDIENTS:
10 Nixtamal corn tortillas
1kg free-range pork shoulder or leg from your local butcher
Marinade
Garnish
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Combine achiote paste, orange juice, white vinegar, oregano, onion and garlic in a blender, adding salt to taste.
Rub the marinade over the pork with your hands, ensuring all the meat is covered. Cover and place in the fridge overnight (if you have time). (Tip: You can cook in the slow cooker immediately after preparing, however note that this impacts flavour - it is worth the wait!).
Place the pork and any excess marinade into the slow cooker and submerge with water to 2cm above the meat.
Cook for 3 to 4 hours on a low setting. If you don’t have a slow cooker, place pork in an ovenproof dish and cover with baking paper and foil before cooking at 180°C for 2 to 2.5 hours. (Tip: You can tell it’s ready if you squeeze the meat and it falls apart).
While the meat is cooking, prepare the garnish ingredients by combining the habaneros, radish, red onion, and lime juice. Season to taste. Set aside and allow to rest while the meat cooks.
Remove the cooked pork from the liquid and place into a large bowl. Shred the meat using two forks. Add 3-4 spoons of the cooking liquid and stir through the shredded pork.
Heat your tortillas on a hot iron tortilla plate or hot dry frying pan until steam rises and they’re hot and floppy, about 10 seconds either side.
Wrap them in a thick cloth or aluminium foil as you go to keep them warm.
Place pork onto each tortilla, topped with the garnish mix.
¡Buen Provecho!
TACOS DE COCHINITA PIBIL PULLED PORK TACOS
SERVES: 5 COOKING TIME: 220 MINUTES
‘Pibil’ is a Mayan word for buried, which refers to the traditional method of cooking in an underground fire pit, covered with banana leaves. Traditionally, the recipe is made with Seville oranges that grow in the Yucatan and have a bitter, acidic flavour. Here we use orange juice mixed with white vinegar, which works well to create that authentic flavour. The rich orange colour of the dish comes from the achiote paste, made from annatto seeds. Although simple to prepare, this dish takes time, so plan ahead!
INGREDIENTS:
10 Nixtamal corn tortillas
1kg free-range pork shoulder or leg from your local butcher
Marinade
- 100g achiote paste
- Juice of 2 oranges
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp oregano dried
- ¼ onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 garlic clove
- Salt to taste
Garnish
- 1 habanero chilli, finely diced
- 3 radishes, finely sliced
- ½ red onion, finely sliced
- 60ml lime juice
- Salt
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Combine achiote paste, orange juice, white vinegar, oregano, onion and garlic in a blender, adding salt to taste.
Rub the marinade over the pork with your hands, ensuring all the meat is covered. Cover and place in the fridge overnight (if you have time). (Tip: You can cook in the slow cooker immediately after preparing, however note that this impacts flavour - it is worth the wait!).
Place the pork and any excess marinade into the slow cooker and submerge with water to 2cm above the meat.
Cook for 3 to 4 hours on a low setting. If you don’t have a slow cooker, place pork in an ovenproof dish and cover with baking paper and foil before cooking at 180°C for 2 to 2.5 hours. (Tip: You can tell it’s ready if you squeeze the meat and it falls apart).
While the meat is cooking, prepare the garnish ingredients by combining the habaneros, radish, red onion, and lime juice. Season to taste. Set aside and allow to rest while the meat cooks.
Remove the cooked pork from the liquid and place into a large bowl. Shred the meat using two forks. Add 3-4 spoons of the cooking liquid and stir through the shredded pork.
Heat your tortillas on a hot iron tortilla plate or hot dry frying pan until steam rises and they’re hot and floppy, about 10 seconds either side.
Wrap them in a thick cloth or aluminium foil as you go to keep them warm.
Place pork onto each tortilla, topped with the garnish mix.
¡Buen Provecho!
These sound tasty. Very time-sensitive, I suppose, but hearty and delicious! I bet they'd go well with tomatoes and guacamole. 
Yeah the pork takes a bit of slow-cook time so you have to planit out as a meal.
Crispy Chicken Tacos
• 1 Whole rotisserie style chicken breast, shredded
• 1/3 tsp. onion powder
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 corn tortillas
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
• 2 plums tomatoes, sliced
• ¼ medium white onion, sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 cup Queso fresco, crumbled
Optional: • Mexican Cream to drizzle over the tacos
• Spicy Salsa
DIRECTIONS:
1. Season the shredded chicken breast with the onion and garlic powder, as well as the salt and pepper to taste.
2. Warm the tortillas in a large skillet and set them aside wrapped in a kitchen napkin.
3. Heat the oil at medium high heat in the same frying pan where you warmed the tortillas.
4. While the oil is heating, place 2 tbsp. of the chicken in each tortilla and fold them in half. Once the oil is hot, place the folded tacos in the skillet to fry. Fry for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.
To serve, place the tacos on a large serving plate with the shredded lettuce and the slices of tomatoes, onion, and avocado. Don’t forget to top them with cheese. Enjoy!
NOTE:
Each taco is eaten with shredded lettuce and a slice of each of the vegetables.
• 1 Whole rotisserie style chicken breast, shredded
• 1/3 tsp. onion powder
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 corn tortillas
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
• 2 plums tomatoes, sliced
• ¼ medium white onion, sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 cup Queso fresco, crumbled
Optional: • Mexican Cream to drizzle over the tacos
• Spicy Salsa
DIRECTIONS:
1. Season the shredded chicken breast with the onion and garlic powder, as well as the salt and pepper to taste.
2. Warm the tortillas in a large skillet and set them aside wrapped in a kitchen napkin.
3. Heat the oil at medium high heat in the same frying pan where you warmed the tortillas.
4. While the oil is heating, place 2 tbsp. of the chicken in each tortilla and fold them in half. Once the oil is hot, place the folded tacos in the skillet to fry. Fry for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.
To serve, place the tacos on a large serving plate with the shredded lettuce and the slices of tomatoes, onion, and avocado. Don’t forget to top them with cheese. Enjoy!
NOTE:
Each taco is eaten with shredded lettuce and a slice of each of the vegetables.