Lunch: Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Red Onion Recipe | Myrecipes

Recipe by Tim Cebula The pork gets a big flavor boost from achiote paste, a mix of ground annatto seeds, vinegar, salt, and spices. Find it at Latin markets.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Agave

Health benefits of Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Red Onion Recipe | Myrecipes

Agave, a sweetener derived from the core of the agave plant, is frequently highlighted in nutritional discussions due to its notably low glycemic index (GI) rating. With a GI score of just 17, it stands out from many other natural sweeteners and sugars that often have higher GI values. For those unfamiliar with the term, the glycemic index is a measure that ranks foods based on how significantly they raise blood glucose (sugar) levels after consumption. Foods with a lower GI value are absorbed more slowly and cause a more gradual rise in blood sugar levels, which is particularly crucial for individuals managing conditions like PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome).

Ingredients

7 unpeeled garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
4 teaspoons achiote paste
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 (1 1/2-pound) boneless pork shoulder, trimmed
1 cup thinly sliced red onion (half-moons)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons light agave nectar or granulated sugar
12 Fresh Corn Tortillas or packaged corn tortillas, warmed
3/4 cup Tomatillo Salsa

Instructions

Preheat oven to 250 °.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 8 minutes or until skins are well charred, turning occasionally. Remove cloves from pan; cool 5 minutes, and discard skins. Combine garlic, rind, juice, achiote paste, and 2 teaspoons oil in a mini chopper; process until smooth.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt over pork. Brush achiote mixture evenly over pork. Place pork in a medium Dutch oven or ovenproof saucepan; cover and bake at 250 ° for 6 hours. Remove from oven, and let stand for 30 minutes.
While pork cooks, place onion in a medium bowl. Combine 1/2 cup water, vinegar, agave, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, stirring until salt dissolves. Pour vinegar mixture over onion; stir. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; cool to room temperature, rearranging as needed to keep onion submerged. Chill at least 1 hour.
Place pork on a cutting board; shred with 2 forks. Discard fat.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 1 cup shredded pork to pan in an even layer; cook 3 minutes or until a crust develops, turning once. Place crisped pork on a platter. Repeat procedure with remaining shredded pork.
Place 2 warm tortillas on each of 6 plates. Top each tortilla with 1 1/2 ounces crisped pork, 1 tablespoon Tomatillo Salsa, and 1 tablespoon pickled red onion.

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