Tacos With Carnitas And Avocado Butter

Name: Tacos With Carnitas And Avocado Butter
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: About 10 tacos
Cuisine: mexican
Ingredients: 2 pounds pork belly; Kosher salt and ground black pepper; 2 ripe avocados; 1 tablespoon canola oil; 1/2 ripe red bell pepper or 1 small fresh serrano chili; Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste; 1 bunch cilantro; 1 large white onion; Corn tortillas

Recipe from James Beard

Adapted by Eric Asimov

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes, plus 1 hour's standing
Rating: 4(46)
Comments: Read comments

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Ingredients

Yield:About 10 tacos

2pounds pork belly
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2ripe avocados
1tablespoon canola oil
½ripe red bell pepper or 1 small fresh serrano chili
Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
1bunch cilantro
1large white onion
Corn tortillas

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
To make carnitas, remove skin along top of pork belly and the layer of fat underneath. Cut meat into small cubes, and salt and pepper it. Allow to stand for about an hour.
Step 2
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place pork on a mesh rack in a roasting pan. Roast until cubes turn lightly crisp, about 1½ hours.
Step 3
As pork roasts, prepare avocado butter. In a bowl, mash avocados. Add oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mince the bell pepper or serrano chili (for a spicier result), and add to avocado. Add lemon juice. Blend well, cover and refrigerate.
Step 4
Chop cilantro and place in a small bowl. Chop onion and place in another small bowl.
Step 5
When the carnitas are ready, remove from oven and set aside. Warm tortillas over low heat on a griddle. Spread each tortilla with avocado butter and add a generous portion of carnitas. Serve, passing the diners the bowls of cilantro and onions.