Smoked Carnitas Tacos

[Xring01]

Got the hankering for some good old Carnitas Tacos for dinner...
Never really cooked carnitas like this, here is how I am doing it...

3.5lb pork but with bone
Injection
3/4 Cup of Orange Juice
1/4 Cup of Lime Juice
few good splashes of worchester sauce
few good splashs of Taco Bell hot sauce
sprinkled in some Carnitas Rub I made

Carnitas Rub
Pretty much equal parts of
Lemon Pepper - Brand I use (the best in my opinion) Dances with Smoke - Lemon Rub
Paprika, Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Chili Powder, brown sugar... I dont measure.... Assume 1 heaping TBSP of each... maybe a bit more brown sugar... (This is more than enough for one pork butt, you will have alot left over... so keep that in mind....

So I injected the Pork But, while it was marinating a bit, I fired up the Weber Smoke Fire....
Put a liberal amount of Rub all over the Pork But...
Put it on the smoker at 275 degrees with Weber blended pellets... (think its hickory maple & apple)
I am misting it every half hour ish with apple juice... Gives it a great dark colored bark.
I will cook it to about 155-160 degree internal temp...
Then it going into a foil pan,,, that basically has 2.5 cups ish of the injection marinade....(I just poured the same stuff in pan), then I will foil it, and let it steam in the injection marinade until it comes up to 198 degrees internal temp...

Pull it, let it rest for half hour... while I am getting all the other stuff ready for my Carnitas Tacos.... Pico, Guacamole, cheese, cilantro, hot sauce.. and the tortillas...

Ohhh hell yeah, this is gonna be a damn good dinner tonight.

 

[rickym20]

Didn’t know this was a thing. Don’t forget to post some pictures before making the evidence disappear.

 

[Xring01]

Didn’t know this was a thing. Don’t forget to post some pictures before making the evidence disappear.

Me neither... But I am pretty sure its damn good idea, might be one of my better ones...
But I may be wrong... but for sure, we will find in an 6 hours ish....

 

[NicPaus]

Smoked pork tacos with tomatillo green sauce. Doesn't get much better.

 

[RitcheyRch]

Looks tasty and what time should we be there.?

 

[DLC]

That’s a great idea! I love pork tacos or pork and eggs in the morning.....

we usually roast some chiles and then slice em up and use some Cotija cheese and fresh sweet corn cut off the Cobb during summer! It’s the best

 

[DLC]

I’m going to try your set up and see how it goes.

 

[Xring01]

 

[Xring01]

 

[rickym20]

View attachment 979535 View attachment 979536

Ok,I’m trying this . That looks good!!!

 

[Xring01]

This is a good recipe... no doubt...

Those where mighty fine tacos...

Butt.... next time... I will

Inject it, and let it marinade for at least 3 hours... before I put it on the smoker.

The citrus flavor did come thru, but I think 3 more hours marinating would kick this up a level..

Today was the first time with this recipe... so I will tweek it, refine it, and make it better...

 

[DLC]

Wow that looks yum-ski!

 

[Xring01]

Here is the revised Recipe for yall to try...
IF you try it, please let me know your thoughts, or if you make any tweeks to it.

Smoked Carnitas Tacos

3.5lb pork but with bone

Injection – Steaming Marinade
2.5 Cup of Orange Juice
1/2 Cup of Lime Juice
few good splashes of Worcester sauce
few good splashes of Taco Bell hot sauce
sprinkled in some Carnitas Rub I made


Carnitas Rub
Pretty much equal parts of
Lemon Pepper - Brand I use (the best in my opinion) Dances with Smoke- Lemon Rub (google Dances with smoke and order it online)
Paprika, Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Chili Powder, brown sugar... I dont measure.... Assume 1 heaping TBSP of each... maybe a bit more brown sugar (2TBSP or more)... (This is more than enough for one pork butt, you will have alot left over... so keep that in mind)....


So I injected the Pork Butt, with about 1 cup of the injection marinade, and let it marinade for at least 3 hrs. Then fire up the smoker to 275degrees ish .

Put a liberal amount of Rub all over the Pork Butt..

Put it on the smoker at 275 degrees with apple/cherry type of wood

I am misting (spray bottle) it every half hour ish with apple juice... Gives it a great dark colored bark.

I will cook it to about 155-160 degree internal temp...

Then it going into a foil pan,,, that basically has about 2.5 cups ish of the injection marinade....(I just poured the same stuff in pan), then I will foil it, and let it steam in the injection marinade until it comes up to 198 degrees internal temp... (BTW... feel free to add chopped up oranges/ limes/ onions / garlic in the foil pan if your feeling it)... All of this just adds steam flavor into the Carnitas...



Pull it, let it rest for half hour... while I am getting all the other stuff ready for my Carnitas Tacos.... Pico, Guacamole, cheese, cilantro, hot sauce.. and the tortillas...

 

[Racey]

This is a good recipe... no doubt...

Those where mighty fine tacos...

Butt.... next time... I will

Inject it, and let it marinade for at least 3 hours... before I put it on the smoker.

The citrus flavor did come thru, but I think 3 more hours marinating would kick this up a level..

Today was the first time with this recipe... so I will tweek it, refine it, and make it better...

I do a citrus carnitas like that too. No marinade, i rub the pork with normal "whatever" rub i have laying around or made up let that sit in the fridge for a while, sometimes overnight, then coat with a light layer of louisiana hot sauce and yellow mustard, and some brown sugar, smoke around 220 till it hits the 155 stall, then put it in the crock pot with orange slices, rind and all, let that run for about 4 hours or so. Citrus flavor really soaks through the meat.

No water in the crockpot, just a bed of orange slices and then more laid over the top, they will sweat enough moisture.