Slow Cooker Carnitas Tacos and Grilled Mexican Street Corn

 

3 whole ancho chiles

3 whole pasilla chiles

4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

2 to 3 chipotles in adobo sauce

1 small can green chiles with liquid

1/2 medium white onion, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Kosher salt

2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican

3-4 cups chicken broth

4 pounds bone in pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into chunks

Fresh ground pepper

1 package prepared Mexican seasoning

2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

Corn tortillas, warmed, for serving

Assorted taco toppings, for garnish

 

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, green chiles, 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, prepared seasoning and cinnamon stick, then pour in the sauce. Cover and cook on high until the meat is tender, 5-6 hours. You can also cook the pork in a pressure cooker, according to your pressure cooker directions. Discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.

Remove the pork from the slow-cooker and shred the meat into a large oven proof pan. Moisten the meat with the cooking liquid from the slow-cooker and cook uncovered in a 350 oven for one hour or until the shredded pork is nice and crispy. Ladle the cooking liquid into the meat as needed so it doesn’t dry out too much.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve the shredded pork in the tortillas, along with toppings.

 

Grilled Mexican Street Corn

 

8 ears corn, shucked

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup crumbled cotija cheese, divided

½ cup mayo

½ cup sour cream

½ cup cilantro leaves, minced, plus more for garnish

2 teaspoons lime zest

1 teaspoon ancho Chile powder

Lime wedges, for serving

 

1. Light a grill. On a sheet pan, toss the corn with the oil, then season with salt and pepper.

2. In a small bowl, stir together ⅔ cup of the cotija cheese with the mayo, sour cream, cilantro, lime zest and chile powder to combine.

3. Place the corn on the hottest part of the grill and cook, turning as needed, until cooked through and charred, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Remove the corn from the grill and immediately brush each cob liberally with the cheese mixture and transfer to a platter. Garnish each cob with a sprinkle of the remaining ⅓ cup of cheese and more cilantro, then serve with lime wedges.