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Four pork belly tacos garnished with cilantro and a jar of salsa in the background.
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4.86 / 7 votes

Pork Belly Tacos

These pork belly tacos are made with slow-roasted spiced pork belly that's cubed and fried until crispy. Not your average Taco Tuesday.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time7 hours
Total Time18 hours
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1009

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds pork belly, skin removed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup mild vegetable oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Store-bought or homemade tortillas, to serve
  • Chopped fresh cilantro, to serve (optional)
  • Shredded cabbage, salsa, sour cream, sliced avocado, and lime wedges, to serve (optional)
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 200°F (90°C).
  • Lightly score the pork belly by making gentle slices using the tip of your knife at a diagonal across the top of the belly.
  • In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, and cumin. Rub the mixture evenly on the top and bottom of the belly. Wrap the belly in foil twice.
  • Place the wrapped belly in a roasting pan and cook for 6 hours. The pork should be fork tender at this point, but if it’s not, pop it back in the oven and cook for 30 to 60 minutes more.
  • Remove the pork belly from the oven and let it cool in its wrappings for 2 hours. Place, still wrapped, in the refrigerator and chill for 6 to 10 hours. It is best to let it chill overnight.
  • Remove the pork from the fridge, unwrap it, and let it rest for 20 minutes. Gently pat dry, then cut it into 1-inch (2.5-cm) strips, then into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes.
  • In a medium to large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons oil. Wait 6 minutes to make sure the oil is hot, then sauté the cubed pork in batches until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed for each subsequent batch. You can reduce the temperature to avoid burning, if needed. Remove from the oil and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
  • Nestle into tortillas and sprinkle with cilantro, if using. Top with your favorite taco fixins and devour.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 1009kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 104g | Saturated Fat: 35g | Monounsaturated Fat: 45g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 928mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g