Ground Pork Tacos

5 from 7 votes

Ground Pork Tacos with carnita-inspired pork, warm tortillas, and your favorite toppings. Don’t forget the zesty lime crema to tie it all together!

Prep Time30

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: ground pork tacos

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $16.52

Equipment

Large cast-iron pan

Ingredients

Tacos

2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 cups finely diced red onion 1 medium onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic 4 cloves
2 tablespoons finely diced jalapeño 1 pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1-1/2 pounds ground pork
1 orange 1/4 cup orange juice
1 lime 2 tablespoons lime juice
12 (6-inch) soft flour tortillas or corn tortillas
Toppings as desired see note 1

Lime Crema

1/2 cup sour cream lite/low-fat works!
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 lime 2 tablespoons juice and 1/2 teaspoon zest
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Optional Quick “Pickled” Onion

1/2 large red onion thinly sliced, 1 cup
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

US - Metric

Instructions

Optional Quick “Pickled” Red Onion: In a medium bowl, combine the thinly sliced red onion, red wine vinegar, and sugar. Season to taste with salt; I add 1/2 teaspoon. Toss to coat; leave at room temperature and toss every 5 minutes or so while preparing the rest of the meal.
Lime Crema: In a small bowl, combine all the crema ingredients. Add 1/2 tsp lime zest and 2 tbsp lime juice; season to taste with salt and pepper; I add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Stir and place in the fridge until ready to use.
In a large, cast-iron skillet, add the olive oil and heat to medium high. Add in onion and sauté for about 5 minutes or until turning golden. Add garlic and jalapeños and cook another 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add seasonings and salt and pepper to taste (I add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Sauté for 1 more minute or until fragrant. Nothing should be burning/overly browning; reduce heat if necessary (nonstick skillet will take longer because it doesn’t hold heat the same). Press spiced veggies to the side of the pan, leaving room for the pork.
Add ground pork to the center of the pan. Let stand for about 30 seconds to a minute, then flip; we want to brown it as much as possible (color = flavor!). Continue to cook and break up the pork with a wooden spoon until the pork is nicely browned. Drain off any fat. Add 1/4 cup orange juice and 2 tbsp lime juice and cook, stirring constantly, until the juices are absorbed into the pork and it’s nicely coated and browned. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings to preference, adding additional salt if needed.
See note 2 for preparing the tortillas. I typically char them over a gas flame on my stovetop, but any method works.
Place generous spoonfuls of pork into warmed tortillas. Add your favorite toppings: cheese, avocado, cilantro, pickled red onions, and lots of lime crema are my must-haves! Serve with lime wedges on the side and enjoy promptly.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Optional toppings: ripe avocado, cilantro, lime wedges, red onions or pickled onions, Cotija or Monterey jack cheese (~1 cup), and/or lime crema.

Note 2: Spray tortillas with cooking spray and char over gas flames for a few seconds, flipping with tongs until lightly charred and soft. Fold in half and keep warm under a towel. Alternatively, warm tortillas in batches in a skillet on medium heat, flipping to heat both sides, then fold and keep under a towel.

Storage: Store lime crema, pickled onions, pork, and toppings separately in airtight containers in the fridge; use within 1 week. Freeze cooled pork in a freezer-safe container and tortillas separately for up to 3 months.

Nutrition