There are some popular mouthwatering morning tacos in Mexico City that are stuffed with Chicharrón Prensado Casero, a filling made out of pressed pork pieces. Since that type of “chicharrón” is not easy to find outside of Mexico, this is my shortcut to make them at home. If you are familiar with carnitas (fried pork meat) or have prepared them yourself, you are going to like this delicious recipe. You will take carnitas to the next level!
Pork Carnitas in Guajillo Sauce Tacos (Chicharron Prensado)
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To prepare my own pressed pork, I cook pork in the same way I make carnitas, but add a few pork skins to it. Once cooked, I store the meat pieces in a vacuum sealed bag, making sure to press the meat as compact as possible. Store it in the fridge for a couple of days, and it is ready to cook. But you don’t have to go through all that process to make these tacos just cut the “Carnitas” in little pieces to cook with the salsa, and you’ll be good.
How to make Chicharron Prensado
DIRECTIONS:
- Cut the dried peppers using your kitchen scissors and remove seeds and veins. Place in a medium-size bowl and cover with three cups of hot water. To keep them submerged, place a plate over them. Soak for 30 minutes or until they are soft. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Drain the softened peppers, onion, garlic and 1 ½ cup cold of water in your blender. Process until you have a very smooth sauce.
- Pour the sauce into a large frying pan using a strainer. Turn the heat to medium and cook the sauce for about 5 minutes. Add a teaspoon Knorr beef or chicken bouillon.
- Add the chopped carnitas and stir. Keep cooking for about 10 to 12 minutes until the meat is very tender and it starts to shred when you introduce a fork in it. Taste and season with salt and pepper. By this time, the meat will release it’s fat and it will float on the surface. The sauce will reduce also by now. Slightly shred the meat right there in the frying pan with a fork. To serve over warm corn tortillas, good salsa, and some pickled carrots.
Our dishes vary from region to region, and sometimes some ingredients are not easy to find outside Mexico or even in some parts of Mexico, but you can be creative in the kitchen and recreate those meals in your own kitchen.
Thank you, Knorr and Mirum Shopper for selecting me as your Brand Ambassador! All this month of July, I will be sharing recipes using Knorr, this little secret of many Mexican cooks
Stop by your local Walmart tomorrow July 9th, 2016, to experience the flavors that unite us! I'll be there tomorrow at my local Walmart! Hope to see you there!
Leave a comment and share your experience with the recipe.
More recipes:
Leftover Tacos Recipe
Turkey Crispy Tacos with Mole Sauce
Chicharron Prensado
Ingredients
- 6 Guajillo peppers
- 3 cups of water
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 lb pork carnitas chopped in 1-in pieces
- 1 teaspoon Knorr Chicken or Beef bouillon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 corn tortillas
Instructions
- Cut the dried peppers using your kitchen scissors and remove seeds and veins. Place in a medium-size bowl and cover with three cups of hot water. To keep them submerged, place a plate over them. Soak for 30 minutes or until they are soft.
- Drain the softened peppers, onion, garlic and 1 ½ cup of cold water in your blender. Process until you have a very smooth sauce.
- Pour the sauce into a large frying pan using a strainer. Turn the heat to medium and cook the sauce for about 5 minutes. Add a teaspoon Knorr beef or chicken bouillon.
- Add the chopped carnitas and stir. Keep cooking for about 10 to 12 minutes until the meat is very tender and it starts to shred when you introduce a fork in it. Taste and season with salt and pepper. By this time, the meat will release it’s fat and it will float on the surface. The sauce will reduce also by now. Slightly shred the meat right there in the
- frying pan with a fork. To serve over warm corn tortillas, a good salsa, and some pickled carrots.
Ben
Hi, Mely. I was a bit confused when you said cook the carnitas for 10or 12 minutes in the sauce till it shreds easily with a fork. The pork will get that soft in 10 or 12 minutes?
Mely Martínez
Hello Ben,
The carnitas are already cooked. However, if yours are still hard to shred, simmer for more time.
Anamaris Price
Meli, la carne ya esta cocida o la esta cociendo en la salsa?
Gracias
PD: me ENCANTAN tus recetas: 🙂
mmartinez
Hola Anamaris,
La carne ya esta cocida. Saludos!
Tiffany
I'm thinking about making this for my family. Will this be too spicy for children?
mmartinez
Hello Tifanny,
The peppers used in this recipe are very mild. Kids can enjoy the dish.
Tiffany
Okay,
Thanks. 😊
Teresa
Another yummy recipe I will be trying this week. Mely, I am leaving for a week in beautiful Mexico in a few weeks! I cannot wait. (Tour de disculpas)
mandy k
Thank you for the recipe! I've been experimenting this last winter with trying to make Carnitas. I was using your recipe for pork roast with the orange juice and garlic. Surprisingly, I hadn't seen your Carnitas post untill you posted this tacos recipe. I'll definately be trying it that way also. We've been enjoying the roast recipe though, we use country ribs or cut up meat for carnitas. These tacos sound great. I'm going to have to try them when I do your Carnitas recipe. Thanks so much for sharing your recipes. I also started making cheese this last winter, your directions were so easy to follow. It turned out great. And another was the rojas in cream sauce. With roasted peppers and a creamy sauce. I'm thinking of making that again this week and maybe adding some zucchini to it. (my garden is producing) I've been having so much fun with your recipes. My son is really enjoying them as well!
Liz Davis
Mel,
Cuando le agregas el chicharron a las carnitas ( pork skin ) ? cuando coces las carnitas o cuando ya estan cocidas ?
Para ponerlas en el vacuum sealed bag, tengo que tener la maquinita ( vacuum seal system ) ?
mmartinez
Hola Liz, No necesitas agregar chicharrón, del crocante, con que le pongas cueritos, y eso si quieres. No necesitas la maquinita. Con que las pongas en una bolsa de ziploc, la comprimes sacando todo el aire posible, y quede compacta la carne. Saludos!
Si la haces me dices cómo te quedó!
mmartinez
Hello,
Chicharrón prensado plain or adobado, is something that you can buy at the butcher or at your local supermarket in Mexico, you just go home, and cook with the salsa of your choice. I found some adobado here in Texas, a couple of months ago, but it actually was a lucky day. I had been back several times to the same store, and they don't have it anymore. Since, it is really good in tacos and specially as a gorditas filling, I had used the technique to make the plain version. Some cities with a large Mexican population sell it at the Latin stores, but the plain version.
Saludos!
Brewella Deville
Mely, in Mexico, is this something you could only buy ready to eat at a taco stand, or would you be able buy the pressed chicharron at a meat market and take it home to finish the preparation?