Crispy Pork Belly Tacos

Crispy Pork Belly Tacos – I love tacos and have already got recipes for Pulled Chicken Tacos and Crispy Prawn Tacos. For this version, I made my own corn tortillas using a taco press I got for Christmas. You can get a Taco Press from Cool Chile Co if you fancy making your own, or just buy flour or corn tortillas.

For my recipe for Crispy Pork Belly Tacos, pork belly chunks are simmered to tenderise the meat before being crisped up in a pan and tossed in a spicy and smoky Mexican BBQ sauce.

I recommend pairing the Crispy Pork Belly Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa Verde , cheese and pickled cabbage or jalapeños.

Recipe

Serves 4

Difficulty Level: Home Cook

Ingredients:

For the homemade tortillas:

• 125g masa harina
• 175ml warm water

For the tacos:

• 500g pork belly slices
• 300ml Apple juice
• Cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, Mexican oregano and smoked salt salt

For the Mexican BBQ sauce glaze:

• 3 heaped tablespoons BBQ sauce
• 1-2 tablespoons chipotle paste
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon smoked salt, ground cumin and Mexican oregano, ground black pepper

Method:

1. Mix together the masa harina and hot water and form into a ball of dough. Cover and chill until ready to use.
2. Cut the pork slices into bite sized chunks. Put into a large pan with the apple juice, cinnamon stick, garlic and spices. Top up with 200ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
3. Drain the pork pieces and leave to cool slightly.
4. For the tortillas, heat a pan until hot. Use a tortilla press to press 30g balls of the dough into tortillas. Cook for a couple of minutes on each side in the hot pan, until beginning to char. Remove and keep warm in a clean tea towel.
5. Put the pork chunks in a cold frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the pork chunks until crisp and golden.
6. Mix together the BBQ sauce glaze and pour over the crispy pork, tossing to coat. Sizzle for 30 seconds, until glossy and coating the pork.
7. Serve the crispy, Mexican BBQ glazed pork belly on top of the tacos alongside Tomatillo Salsa Verde and any other toppings. My suggestions are cheese, sour cream and pickled cabbage or jalapeños.