Carnitas tacos + salsa negra

No matter what your week looks like - MAKE THE SALSA NEGRA.

I’ve never had salsa negra, but I have the fondest (and spiciest) memories of this guys mom & aunt who would come in from Mexico and make large volumes of this deeply roasted wickedly hot salsa in our commercial kitchen - and this is reminiscent of that magic.

It’s dark (hence negra = black), with warm roasted flavors that lure you in and a heat you can adjust by how many seeds you include in the mix. The secret? Blending it smooth as silk and then frying the salsa in oil - unbelievably good!

Carnitas are usually made with pork shoulder (butt), but I opted for loin as it’s leaner and a smaller size while still making plenty. It’s a bit drier (less fat), but if you’re feeling more health-conscious or simply want to make less - this is a great way to do it.

This version uses bacon to bring back richness and a citrus braise to keep everything balanced. It’s simple, reliable, and makes plenty for leftovers!

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Pro Tip:

Le Creuset? Nope. I’m a fan of Lodge Cast Iron Enamel pans. For something I use 3x times a week, I want something I won’t cry over if something happens to it! These come in pretty colors and I have the dutch oven I use for soups, chilis and bread baking and the braising pan for everything else!

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Pork Loin Carnitas

Ingredients

• 2–3 lb pork loin, cut into 3–4 inch chunks

• 1–2 slices bacon, chopped

• Juice of 1 orange

• Juice of 1 lime

• ½ cup chicken broth

• 1–2 tbsp olive oil

• 4–5 garlic cloves, smashed

• Optional: onion wedges

Spices

• 1 tbsp salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 tbsp cumin

• 1 tbsp oregano

• 1–2 tsp chili powder

Instructions

1. Render the bacon
In a Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until the fat renders and the pieces are lightly crisp. This replaces the richness you’d normally get from pork shoulder. Remove the bacon temporarily.

2. Sear the pork
Add the pork chunks to the bacon fat. Brown lightly on one or two sides. You’re not cooking it through, just building flavor.

3. Build the braise
Add cooked bacon, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, broth, and olive oil. The liquid should come about one-third to halfway up the pork, not fully submerge it.

4. Oven braise
Cover tightly and transfer to a 300°F (150°C) oven. Cook for 2.5–3 hours. Start checking at 2.5 hours. The pork should be tender but not falling apart into mush (mine was ready at 2.5 hours exactly).

5. Crisp (optional, honestly - I didn’t bother with this as mine was a little dry already)
Break the pork into chunks or lightly shred. Spread on a sheet pan, spoon some of the cooking liquid and fat over the top, and broil for 3-5 minutes until the edges are crisp.

Salsa Negra

This version builds depth from dried chiles and a quick fry at the end.

Ingredients

• 2 dried guajillo chiles

• 2 dried ancho chiles

• 1/2 - 1 dried aleppo pepper

• you can use dried or canned chipotles here as well

• 3-4 garlic cloves (skin on)

• 2 tbsp neutral oil or olive oil

• 1–2 tbsp soy sauce or Worcestershire

• 1–2 tsp vinegar (apple cider or white)

• Salt to taste

• Optional: pinch of sugar or honey

Instructions

1. Toast the chiles: Remove stems and seeds. Toast in a dry pan over medium heat for 10–20 seconds per side. Do not burn them.

2. Soak: Cover with hot water and soak 10–15 minutes until soft.

3. Char the garlic: Char garlic cloves (skin on) in a dry pan until blackened in spots. Peel.

4. Blend: Blend soaked chiles, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and about ¼ cup of the soaking liquid until smooth.

5. Fry the salsa: Heat oil in a pan. Pour in the blended sauce. It should sizzle. Cook for 5–8 minutes, stirring, until thickened and darker.

6. Adjust: Salt to taste. Add more vinegar if it needs brightness or a small pinch of sugar if it’s slightly bitter.

Build the Tacos

• Warm corn tortillas

• Pork carnitas

• Salsa negra

• Pickled red onions

• Avocado, lightly mashed on the tortilla

• Cabbage tossed with lime, salt, and a little yogurt

• Optional: cotija cheese

Freezing Instructions

This recipe makes more than you need, and you’ll be grateful you did this!

To freeze:

• Let pork cool completely

• Place in airtight ziplock bags and spread out so it’s a thin sheet of pork in 1-2 night serving sizes.

• Include some of the cooking liquid to keep it from drying out

To reheat:

• Thaw overnight or reheat from frozen on low heat

• Spread on a pan, add a little liquid or oil

• Broil or pan-sear to bring back the crispy edges

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