12/31/14 recipe -Taste USA

Sausage and Peppers Taco

How to make Sausage and Peppers Taco Recipe - Serve this with a simple green salad tossed with olive oil and vinegar for a light, yet hearty, Italian spin on the taco.

Makes 12 tacos

Ingredients:
1 large red pepper
1 large green pepper
1 medium onion
1 pound mild Italian sausage
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 can diced tomato (14 oz)
Tortillas

Method:
Julienne the vegetables, leaving the onions slightly thicker, and set aside.

Remove the casing from the sausage and place in a large frying pan over medium heat. Use two forks to pull it apart as it browns, creating chunks no larger than one inch, the crumblier the better. Add black pepper and cook until completely browned, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove sausage and juices to a bowl.

Add vegetables to pan over medium heat, top with vegetable oil and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes.

Add diced tomato and cook for 2 minutes.

Return sausage to vegetables and cook 5 minutes.

Serve on tortillas, using tongs to avoid excess tomato juice or tacos will become soggy.

Sausage and Peppers Taco

Pork Carnitas

How to make Pork Carnitas Recipe - The pork carnita is a hall-of-famer that too often comes out dry and underwhelming when prepared at home, or even at sub-par restaurants. This recipe guarantees a moist, savory taco without a ton of work, and practically makes its own side dish in the process.

Makes 10 tacos

Ingredients:
¼ cup bacon grease or vegetable oil
2 pounds pork shoulder, chopped in 7-8 large chunks
2 Tablespoons fine ground sea salt
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1½ teaspoons cumin
Juice of 1 lime
2 small cans chicken broth (14.5 oz each)
2 cups shredded lettuce
3 tomatoes, diced
Fresh cilantro for garnish
½ lime per plate
Tortillas

Method:
Heat bacon grease or vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Bacon grease adds depth to the final flavor, but vegetable oil works well, too. Season pork with salt, then add to the Dutch oven and brown on all sides, 10-12 minutes. Add remaining dry ingredients, followed by lime juice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until pork is extremely tender, 2½ hours.

Place pork in a deep baking dish, drizzle with a ladle of juice from the Dutch oven, and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes, stopping twice to shred pork with two forks and add more juice. Be sure to withhold at least two ladles of juice if you are making Carnitas Rice.

Top a tortilla with shredded lettuce, pork, tomato, and cilantro. Serve with half a lime and extra cilantro for added flavor.

Serve with: Carnitas Rice, made with the leftover juices from Pork Carnitas!

Pork Carnitas

New Years Taco

How to make New Years Taco Recipe - Try this taco for a fun take on the traditional New Year’s Day pork and sauerkraut dinner.

Makes 6-8 tacos

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon butter
1 medium white onion, sliced
2 pounds pork, cut into 7 or 8 large chunks
2 cans vegetable broth (14.5 oz each)
1 pound sauerkraut
½ teaspoon celery salt
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup Taco Mustard
Dried oregano for garnish
Paprika for garnish
Cracked black pepper for garnish
Tortillas

Method:
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 6-7 minutes. Add pork and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 1 hour.

Shred pork into large pieces using two forks to pull meat apart. Cover and cook 10 more minutes. Pull meat apart into smaller shreds, cover, and cook 10 more minutes. Strain.

Add sauerkraut, celery salt, and brown sugar to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir well and cook until hot, about 5-6 minutes. Strain.

Spread about 1 teaspoon of Taco Mustard on a tortilla. Top with pork and sauerkraut. Garnish with seasonings.

New Years Taco

Hawaiian Pork Taco

How to make Hawaiian Pork Taco Recipe

Makes 6-8 tacos

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon butter
1 medium white onion, sliced
2 pounds pork, cut into 7 or 8 large chunks
2 cans vegetable broth (14.5 oz each)
½ cup crushed pineapple, drained well
1 can white beans (15 oz)
2-3 leaves green lettuce per taco
Tortillas

Method:
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 6-7 minutes. Add pork and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 1 hour.

Shred pork into large pieces using two forks to pull meat apart. Cover and cook 10 more minutes. Pull meat apart into smaller shreds, cover, and cook 10 more minutes. Strain.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix pork, pineapple, and beans.

Place 2-3 whole lettuce leaves on a tortilla and top with pork mixture.

Hawaiian Pork Taco