Crispy Carnitas with Summer Corn Salsa.
If you’re a taco lover, these crispy summer carnitas tacos are for you. Crispy pulled pork in a warm tortilla, topped with refreshing, crisp sweet corn salsa and an herby jalapeño crema drizzled on top. So delicious and flavorful!
Who loves tacos!!
I’m very much raising both hands for these crispy carnitas summer tacos right now. Crispy, juicy shredded pork on warm tortillas with crumbled cotija cheese, corn salsa and a jalapeno crema are calling my name. Always.
Yes, always. Tacos are always calling my name but these ones specifically?
Wowza.
Tons of flavor. Tastes super fancy. Are easy to throw together.
Definitely pleases a crowd!
Right now we’re in the midst of enjoying summer foods and preparing for football season parties and this is a recipe that works double time.
It’s both!
It can be a weeknight meal on a busy school night.
Or it can feed a crowd on a college football Saturday.
I’ve shared so many different recipes with pulled pork here for you. We love carnitas because crisping them in the oven right until they get that classic crunch is EVERYTHING.
If you’re a texture freak like I am, you know that it makes the dish. It’s the step you don’t want to skip!
Depending on the day, I may braise my pork on the stovetop but I most often use the slow cooker. It’s just the easiest and requires the least babysitting in my life right now.
But no matter what, I crisp the shredded pork in the oven before we enjoy it. Definitely the best part.
A quick salsa like this is a staple in our weeknight meals. I like using fresh corn that I slice right from the cob. It’s so sweet and super crunchy! Along with the corn, I add in:
Diced jalapeno
Diced shallot
And diced mango (!!!)
Chopped cilantro
Lots of lime juice
A big pinch of salt
Yes please!
I could eat this with a spoon! It’s perfect on the tacos but also so delicious served on grilled chicken or with rice or even thrown inside of a quesadilla!
The sweet and crisp and refreshing combo is absolutely perfect.
It’s also noooo secret how much I love a good sauce. A creamy crema (ha!) is so easy to throw together and adds the best flavor and creamy zing. This spicy, herby crema is perfect on the tacos, because it complements the crisp pork and sweet corn.
I throw some jalapeño, cilantro, lime, sour cream and mayo in my magic bullet blender and boom – it’s done. This stays great in the fridge for a few days and really elevates all sorts of meals.
P.S. you can totally leave out the jalapeño pepper if you don’t want the spice.
Everyone in our house LOVES this meal. It’s so bright and satisfying, while at the same time tasting classic and traditional enough. It’s delish!
Crispy Carnitas with Summer Corn Salsa
Crispy Carnitas with Summer Corn Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 pound pork shoulder, cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- kosher salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoons fresh grated lime zest
- 2 limes, juiced
- ½ cup beer or ginger ale
- corn tortillas, for serving
- crumbled cotija cheese, for topping
corn salsa
- 4 ears corn, kernels cut from the cob
- 1 mango, diced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lime, juiced
- kosher salt and pepper
jalapeño crema
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro
- kosher salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Season the pork all over with salt and pepper liberally. Add the pork and sear on all sides until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Place the pork in the slow cooker with paprika, garlic powder, onions, garlic, lime zest and juice. Add the beer or ginger ale. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 4 to 6 hours.
- Once finished, lift the pork pieces out of the slow cooker. Don’t dump the juice!
- Shred the pork with a fork - it should shred easily. Place it on a sheet pan. Before serving the pork, I like to crisp it up in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Strain the liquid from the slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer. Drizzle a few spoonfuls of the liquid over the pork on the sheet pan.
- To do this, I spread the shredded pork in a large baking dish. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, tossing the pork with a fork every 10 minutes. You don’t HAVE to do this step, but it really helps it taste like authentic carnitas.
- To assemble the tacos, warm the tortillas and place the crisp pork on top. Top with the corn salsa, the crema and sprinkling of cotija cheese. Enjoy!
corn salsa
- Combine all ingredients with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and season more if needed. You can make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to use.
jalapeño crema
- Add all ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth and creamy. Taste and season with more salt, pepper or lime if needed. You can make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to use.
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
How are these SO good?!
5 Comments on “Crispy Carnitas with Summer Corn Salsa.”
You didn’t mention the beer in the instructions…obviously that goes into the crockpot when you start cooking, right? Can’t wait to make this-sounds great!
yes so sorry!!
Hello, in the recipe ingredient listing there is beer or ginger ale but I didn’t see it in the instructions. Did I miss it? Thanks, this looks like it’s going to be deelish!!
I ended up with some pork tenderloins that were on sale — can I use those instead of pork shoulder?
This recipe is a perfect blend of crispy and fresh. The carnitas are deliciously crunchy, and the summer corn salsa adds a vibrant and flavorful contrast that makes this dish unforgettable.