Take four! 🎬
I’m currently on a budget yet craving the finer things in life 💅🏼 So, I started my endeavor to recreate the best, cheapest “street taco”.
This time, I went to FOUR grocery stores to compare prices. I found I can get 8 limes at Walmart for the same price as 2 limes from Grocery Outlet. It’s worth it to shop around. Canned corn – news flash no longer cheap. Consider frozen veggies! You often get more for less. Ground beef is a tasty option and cheaper than steak but more affordable options do exist.
I finally attempted my favorite – carnitas. 🫣 Some of you pointed out that pork shoulder is cheaper per pound than ground beef and I found that to be astoundingly true. I’ve been getting ground beef at about $7 per pound. The pork shoulder I bought today was $1.79 a pound!
Everyone very generously reminded me that I needed some kind of salsa on my last tacos 😅 I don’t have a blender yet but I figured why not add a few more ingredients to my onion/cilantro mix to make it into more of a pico. My next goals are to buy a blender to make my own salsas & a tortilla press to make my own tortillas.
These tacos cost me 87 cents each – $26.33 for 30 tacos! (My partner & I ate 10 & there’s enough meat & tortillas for at least 20 more) So far these are the cheapest tacos I have made (per taco) and I must add the most flavorful. The only thing I think was missing is a spicy, salty red salsa.
Anyways the opportunities are endless, and it’s been fun learning from/with you guys. Don’t give up your guilty pleasures because you can’t afford them!
by larapeaches
19 Comments
Could you possibly share the recipe? Thank you!
Looks amazing
Frozen veggies are fresher than the canned ones too! Looks amazing
Slow cooker carnitas tacos w/ corn pico recipe
Ingredients:
7 lbs pork butt (the smallest I was able to find)
1 small can salsa verde (optional)
1 bag frozen corn
1 jalapeño
1 garlic head
1 bunch cilantro
2 limes
1 red onion
1 white onion
2 oranges
1 60 pack tortillas
Spices – to taste. (I used salt, pepper, cumin, oregano & garlic powder)
Directions:
1. Slice onion and add to the slow cooker (I used half of each onion for variety). Peel and crush 3/4 of the garlic & add in with the onions. Zest the oranges and add to the slow cooker. Juice oranges and 1 lime and set aside.
2. Pat the pork shoulder dry and rub spices on all sides. Place fat side up in the slow cooker and add orange & lime juice. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or high for 5 hours.
3. Remove the pork and shred with two forks.
4. Add some broth from the slow cooker & crisp in the broiler for 5-10 minutes.
5. For the pico, throw the corn on the stovetop and add diced garlic & jalapeño. (I sautéed the garlic & jalapeño separately in butter for added flavor). Brown the corn slightly, let cool. Chop the remainder of the garlic, onion & cilantro, mix in with the corn mixture and add juice of second lime. Add can of salsa verde (I decided I preferred it without so this is optional). Add salt & garlic powder to taste.
6. Lightly brown the tortillas in a pan with a few drops of oil on medium high heat. Layer two tortillas, carnitas & top with salsa. Voila!
* I added orange and lime peels to the slow cooker for the last two hours and it made the carnitas slightly bitter so I wouldn’t recommend doing that!
*I chopped up the cilantro stems and added them to the slow cooker to utilize waste.
You.. are.. amazing..
Those jinro glasses are awesome
Looks absolutely delicious 😋
They look delicious.
I cannot BELIEVE there is not a single comment yet about your pretty lil doggo!! What a beauty 😍
Good job! Looks yummy!
Ohhh love the idea of crisping the pork under the broiler!! That’s brilliant. I would fry it in a pan but the broiler is a much better idea.
Pic 3 is r/foodandsaddogs
To make carnitas tacos on a budget really shine, consider using pork shoulder or butt, as they break down beautifully and are super flavorful without being expensive. Slow cook it until it’s fork-tender, then give it a quick crisp under the broiler for those perfect crunchy bits. Adding a splash of orange juice or coke to the braising liquid can also add a nice subtle sweetness and tenderize even more.
Thank you for sharing.
You are a resourceful and talented cook!
when i scrolled on my feed and saw the first picture i literally moaned without thinking LMAO
This looks and sounds amazing, thank you so much for including the recipe! 🙂
I love the corn salsa idea! I made Cuban Mojo Pork carnitas this past weekend and am just eating it in a bowl with rice and some refried beans I previously made but I NEED to make this corn salsa! It all looks so good! 🤤
Great job. We don’t use cumin or paprika in our food but other than that looks amazing
that pork shoulder price is insane, gonna be making these all summer now that you cracked the code