Slow-braised pork collar, crisped under the grill, folded into fresh corn tortillas with black beans braised in the leftover liquid. Best started a day ahead.
Pork Collar Carnitas Tacos
Ingredients
For the Carnitas & Beans
- 1 kg pork collar
- 500 ml chicken or pork stock
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 onions chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 orange
- 6 garlic cloves peeled
- 20 g salt
- 2 g cayenne pepper
- 5 g cumin seeds
- 2 sprigs oregano
- neutral oil
- 250 g dried black beans
For the Tacos
- 100 g masa harina
- 10 g lard or chicken fat
- 130 g water
- 5 g salt
Instructions
For the Carnitas & Beans
- Soak the black beans in 1L of cold water the night before.
- Cut the pork into rough 5cm cubes and pat dry.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil in a large pot over high heat.
- Season the pork with salt and brown on top and bottom, working in batches so you don’t crowd the pot.
- Remove the meat and add the onion, garlic, cinnamon, orange peel, bay leaves, oregano, cayenne and cumin. Season lightly and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
- Add the stock, scraping up all the fond. Return the pork to the pot.
- Bring to a boil, then transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours at 140°C.
- Remove from the oven, pour into a large container, and let cool to room temperature before refrigerating for a few hours or up to 3 days.
- The next day, scrape the fat from the top and set it aside.
- Warm the braise in a pot until the pork is easy to remove. Set the pork aside.
- Add the soaked, drained beans to the braising liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the beans’ liquid further, until the beans are creamy and tender with little liquid left.
- Shred the pork onto a foil-lined tray and brush liberally with the reserved fat.
- When you’re ready to serve, broil the pork under the oven’s grill for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp.
For the Tacos
- Combine the masa and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir the water into the melted fat, then pour over the masa and knead until a dough forms.
- Shape into a ball, cover with cling film, and rest for 20 minutes.
- Divide into 40g balls, keeping them covered so they don’t dry out.
- Line a tortilla press with two sheets of baking paper (or use two sheets of paper and a rolling pin).
- Press or roll each ball into a tortilla and cook immediately in a dry, hot pan until lightly browned on one side. Flip to colour the other side.
- Keep warm under a damp cloth, or in a low oven, until ready to serve.
- Serve the tacos with the carnitas and beans, alongside diced tomato, diced onion, fresh coriander, and your choice of radish, hot sauce, cream, or cheese.
Equipment
- Chef’s Knife
- Chopping board
- Mixing Bowl
- Baking Dish
- Tortilla press
- Baking Paper
- Pot
- Small Sauté Pan
Recipe Notes
For the full breakdown on braising technique, see the braising guide (once migrated, this links to the new Technique hub post).
From the Chef
Carnitas is slow-cooked, lightly spiced, fatty pork with just enough crisp exterior for real textural contrast. I ended up with a lot of leftover braising liquid the first time I made this, and after some deliberation, braised black beans in it. They turned out incredible.
The pork’s flavour really shines after a night resting in that liquid, so if you’d rather finish this the same day, plan ahead and soak your beans the day before.