Carnitas Tacos with Garden Fiesta Rice

This recipe, brought to us by Cold Creek Farm in Benzonia, will be printed in the upcoming 2023 Local Food Guide! Get your copy mailed directly to your front door!

Carnitas Tacos with Garden Fiesta Rice

Serves 4-6

Carnitas Tacos

  • 3lb pork butt 
  • ¼ cup Carnitas seasoning (see below)
  • 1 medium white onion, minced 
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced 
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped 
  • Sazón seasoning (see below)
  • White corn tortillas 
  • Cherry Bomb or other cherry-based hot sauce 
  • Crema or sour cream 
  • Pickled onions, for topping
  1. Rub pork with half of the carnitas seasoning and garlic 
  2. In a crockpot, layer one-quarter of the onion, then pork, then another quarter of the onion (reserve remaining onion for topping)
  3. Add water to cover the pork and slow cook for 8-10 hours on low 
  4. Make cherry bomb crema by combining a cherry-based hot sauce with crema or sour cream to your desired heat level. 
  5. Shred pork, season with remaining carnitas seasoning to taste. Sear on a skillet.
  6. Brown corn tortillas on a dry skillet. Fill with pork. 
  7. Top with reserved onion, cilantro, cherry bomb crema, and pickled onions. Sprinkle with Sazón seasoning. 

Sazón seasoning

  • 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 ½ tsp ground annatto seeds (or sub turmeric)
  • 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 ½ tsp salt

Carnitas seasoning

  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp chipotle chile powder
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper

Garden Fiesta Rice

  • ½ orange bell pepper, diced 
  • ½ red onion, diced 
  • 1 yellow summer squash, diced 
  • 2-3 scallions, chopped on the bias 
  • 2 cups baby kale, roughly chopped 
  • 1 bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped 
  • 1 cup cooked black beans (15.5oz can) 
  • 1 cup basmati rice 
  • 2-3 Tbsp vegetable oil 
  • 2 cups vegetable stock 
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste 
  • 1 Tbsp Sazón seasoning 
  • 1 tsp salt 
  • Lime wedges and sliced radish to garnish 
  1. Heat skillet, add vegetable oil, then pepper, onion, and squash. Sautee for 3-5 minutes. 
  2. Add tomato paste, Sazon, salt, and rice. Mix well and saute additional 3-5 minutes. 
  3. Stir in kale and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. 
  4. Cover, turn the heat down to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. 
  5. Leave covered, turn off the heat, and let stand for another 10 minutes. 
  6. Uncover and fluff rice with a fork. Add beans, scallion, and cilantro. Mix well. 
  7. Serve with cilantro, radish, and lime wedges as garnish. 
  8. Top with Cherry Bomb Crema (see above) or pickled onions, if desired.

Check out recipes from previous Local Food Guides and more here!