OUT WEST: Food & Lifestyle

taco tuesday

Crispy Pork Tacos

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Tender pork gets crisped up and served in a charred flour tortilla along side fresh corn and onion sauté with roasted tomatillo salsa. Like to meal prep on the weekends? This recipe can be made ahead of and finished in a cast iron pan adding that street taco crispiness.

If you’re like me, you never get tired of tacos! In fact, I love creating new taco recipes using seasonal ingredients. This time it’s corn. Corn adds that nice crisp sweetness that pairs perfectly with charred meat.

I’m using a small one pound pork shoulder roast that I had in the freezer. I like to get a big pork shoulder roast and save a little piece for later when I need a quick meal. Usually you won’t find this small of a roast at the grocery, but you can just cut a large roast down and freeze the rest for another time OR adjust the recipe to double or triple for a large dinner.

As you know, if you’re a regular at The Herbalist & The Carnivore, I like to get straight to the recipe and get you cooking! Scroll down for the goods:

Related Recipes:

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Crispy Pork Tacos

Tender pork gets crisped and served in a charred flour tortilla with corn relish and tomatillo salsa
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword tacos
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pork shoulder roast cut in 1 inch cubes
  • 1/2 onion cut in 1 inch wedges
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 1/3 cup triple sec Orange liqueur used in margaritas
  • 2-4 cup water
  • 8 medium flour tortillas grilled

Pork Rub

  • 1 tbsp fresh garlic minced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp dried Mexican oregano
  • 1/4 tsp dried coriander
  • 1/2 tsp achiote powder found in Mexican grocery aisle (if you can't find, o.k. to omit)

Corn Saute

  • 2 ears sweet corn cut off the cob
  • 1/2 yellow onion cut in 1/4 inch wedges
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • salt to taste

Tomatillo Salsa

  • 5 tomatillos husk removed
  • 1/2 yellow onion quartered
  • 1/2 jalapeno
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 cup water
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Crispy Pork

  • Combine all Pork Rub ingredients and massage into cubed pork.
  • In a large pot over medium high heat, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Add onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove onion to a bowl.
  • Working in two batches, brown pork in oil left in pan from cooking onion. Remove the fist batch to the bowl with the onion. Repeat with second batch.
  • Add orange juice and triple sec to the pot and scrape off browned bits from bottom of pot. Add browned pork and onion back to pot. Cover with water. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until for tender.
  • Remove pork from pot, being careful to keep the cubed shape. Discard juices.
  • Heat a cast iron pan (or large saute pan) over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Place cooked pork cubes in cast iron pan and sear until crispy on the outside.
  • Serve with flour tortillas, corn saute and tomatillo salsa.

Rolled Tacos in Poblano Sauce

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Get these Rolled Tacos in Poblano Sauce on the table and in your mouth with quickness. 30 minutes to the cheesiest inside, crunchiest outside soaking up all that poblano sauce, taco goodness.

Crispy, Meat & Cheese Filled Tacos

I don’t know about you, but the quicker I can get tacos in my mouth the better and rolled tacos make it that much easier. I live for Taco Tuesday. Its got all my favorite flavors and textures. Crunchy, cheesy combined with the freshest garnishes. I really love the depth you can get from simply roasting poblano peppers, onions and jalapeno. It’s the easiest thing to do. Really!

Grab that sheet pan, throw the poblanos, onion and jalapeno on and broil until charred. So easy, right? The hardest part about this recipe is peeling the skin off the poblanos after they cool. Seriously. After that you just blend it all up and you have an amazing poblano sauce.

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Rolled Tacos in Poblano Sauce

Cheesy inside, crunchy outside soaking up all that roasted poblano sauce.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Rolled tacos, taco tuesday
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 medium corn tortillas
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 packet taco seasoning such as Lawry's
  • vegetable oil for frying

Poblano Sauce

  • 4 small poblano peppers
  • 1/2 yellow onion quartered
  • 1/2 jalapeno
  • 1/2 cup water adjust water for desired thickness
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Toppings

  • cilantro
  • radish
  • yellow onion
  • sour cream
  • lime wedges
  • Cotija cheese

Instructions

Poblano Sauce

  • Place whole poblano peppers, onions and jalapeno on a sheet pan under broil, flipping sides, until charred on all sides.
  • Remove from oven. Add onion and jalapeno to blender. Remove skin and seeds from poblano peppers then place in blender.
  • Add water, sugar and salt. Blend until smooth. Add heavy cream and blend again. Add more water if sauce is too thick.

Rolled Tacos

  • Brown ground beef, drain fat and use your favorite taco seasoning according to package directions.
  • Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat.
  • Heat corn tortillas in microwave for about 25 seconds, just until pliable.
  • Place a little taco meat and cheese in each tortilla and roll, leaving ends open.
  • Fry each taco until just golden brown. Drain on wire rack.
  • Place a large spoonful of poblano sauce on plate, place rolled tacos on top, followed by another spoonful of poblano sauce. Top with fine diced onion, cilantro, radish and Cotija cheese.

More Mexican Inspired Recipes:

  • Frijoles Charros are creamy pinto beans are cooked with bacon and chorizo to get that smokey, spicy flavor and a mirapoix of celery, carrot and onion add a richness. Topped with crumbed cotija and crispy fried tortilla strips, you've got a family friendly meal in a bowl.
    Creamy pinto beans cooked with bacon and chorizo, topped with cripsy tortilla strips and cotija cheese
  • Stuffed poblano wrapped in bacon in cream corn sauce
    Bacon wrapped poblano stuffed with Oaxaca cheese and sausage served in corn crema
  • Halibut in roasted tomatillo sauce with crispy fried onions
    Meaty, buttery grilled halibut in a roasted tomatillo sauce with crispy fried onions

Crunchy Fish Tacos

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What makes this fish taco different than the rest? This Panko coated cod is cut into cubes and you know what that means? More surface area for crunchiness! Topped with sweet and spicy mango salsa and served over creamy chipotle slaw in a soft tortilla.

It’s a fact, cubes = more surface area and I L-O-V-E Crunch! Plus smaller pieces make for easier and quicker time in the fryer. It’s a win win all around. There like little morsels or happiness. Topped with fresh mango salsa that delivers a sweetness with a little heat and round it all off with creamy, smokey chipotle slaw. I’d say that’s a well rounded bite.

This recipe is part of many Pacific Northwest fusion recipes here on the blog. Make sure you check out all of them and comment when you do!

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Fish Tacos

Bite size Panko coated cod topped with sweet mango salsa
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican, Seafood
Keyword Fish tacos
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Fish:

  • 1 lb cod cut in 1 inch cubes
  • 2 cup Panko: in wide rimmed bowl
  • 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 eggs whisked in bowl
  • Approx 24 oz cooking oil

Mango Salsa:

  • 2 mangoes peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup red onion fine diced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
  • 1/2 jalapeno fine diced (remove seeds for mild)
  • 1/2 lime squeezed
  • 1 small garlic clove minced
  • salt and pepper to taste

Chipotle Slaw:

  • 1 bag angle hair coleslaw or 3 cups shredded red and green cabbage plus 1 shredded carrot
  • 1/2 cup mayonaisse
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp chipotle in adobo sauce add less for milder
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste

Other:

  • 8 small flour tortillas heated
  • 1/2 lime cut in wedges

Instructions

Fish:

  • Dip each cod cube in egg and then Panko.
  • Heat vegetable oil at medium heat in deep pan for frying.
  • Fry cod in batches until golden brown.  This should take a few minutes.  Don’t overcrowd pan.  Cod cubes should be floating freely in oil.  Remove to a paper towel or wire rack to cool.  Sprinkle with a little salt or Cajun seasoning.

Mango Salsa

  • Combie all ingrediants together and let site for at least 10 minutes.

Chipotle Slaw

  • Combine mayonnaise and chipotle in adobo.  Add vinegar and stir until creamy.  Add sugar, salt and pepper.  Toss together with cabbage mixture.

Serving:

  • Assemble tacos using warm tortillas, layered with chipotle slaw, a couple cod cubes and top with mango salsa.  Serve with lime wedges.

Grilled Pacific Rock Fish Tacos

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Nearly guilt free, these Grilled Pacific Rock Fish Tacos skip the typical dredging and go straight for the grill. Topped with fresh mango salsa and served in a warm flour tortilla with chipotle slaw.

Skip the dredging and go straight to the grill for these blackened Pacific Rockfish Tacos with mango salsa and chipotle slaw.

Grilled, not fried

I love a good fish taco, but normally they are fried and that’s not so good on the waistline. These Grilled Pacific Rock Fish tacos will have you feeling a step ahead of the calorie count AND they are packed with flavor and freshness from the mango salsa. You’ll feel like you’re sitting on the beach somewhere near Baja, just sipping a margarita with taco in hand.

Rock Fish, Snapper, Red Perch

I recently did a Google search on rock fish and was very surprised at how widely the term rock fish was used. Here in the Pacific Northwest we typically refer to rock fish as Pacific Snapper or sometimes, Cat Fish because of the “whiskers”. Watching cooking shows I always hear about Striped Bass and can never seem to find it here on the west coast. Well, according to my Google search, it is one in the same. How about that?

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Grilled Pacific Rock Fish Tacos

Skip the dredge and go straight for the grill with these blackened Pacific Rock Fish Tacos with mango salsa and chipotle slaw.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Cinco de Mayo, Fish tacos
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Mango Salsa

  • 1 large mango, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup red onion, fine diced
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, fine diced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed if you like mild and diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 lime, squeezed for juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Chipotle Slaw

  • 2 cup green cabbage, shredded
  • 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp chipotle in adobo sauce (just the adobo sauce)
  • 1 splash milk to thin
  • salt and pepper to taste

Grilled Rock Fish

  • 4 small fillets or about 1 lb rock fish (such as snapper or catfish)
  • 1-2 tbsp Cajun seasoning (such as Zatarains or Slap ya Mama)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Other

  • 8 small flour tortillas, warmed
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
  • 1 avocado, sliced

Instructions

Mango Salsa

  • Combine all ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside until ready to serve.

Chipotle Slaw

  • Toss together green and red cabbage in a large bowl.  
  • In a small bowl combine mayonnaise and white vinegar until smooth.  Stir in sugar and chipotle in adobo sauce.  Stir in milk to thin to a semi-creamy , but not liquid consistency. 
  • Combine the mayonnaise mixture with the cabbage and set aside until serving.

Grilled Rock Fish

  • Start a charcoal grill (I prefer charcoal, but you could use gas).  Wait until charcoal is completely grey and will not flare up when cooking.
  • Pat each rock fish fillet dry with a paper towel. Rub Cajun seasoning over each fillet, making sure to completely coat. 
  • Coat a paper towel with vegetable oil and rub over grate of grill.  Drizzle a vegetable oil lightly over seasoned rock fish.
  • Grill rock fish on first side for about 3-4 minutes. This really depends on how thick your rock fish fillet is.  Grill until you can see the flesh turning from clear white to opaque white about half way though. Do not move the fish while it is cooking on the first side because it may stick and start to flake apart. 
    After 3-4 minutes, using a thin  metal spatula, flip and repeat on second side. 
    You will know it is cooked when it starts to flake and the center is opaque, but still moist.

Serving

  • Place a little chipotle slaw on flour tortilla, top with some flaked rock fish and mango salsa.  Serve with lime wedges and avocado slices.
  • Bite size lettuce wraps with mango chile shrimp and mango salsa
  • Buttery, crunchy macadamia crusted cod in a smoky mango sauce

Related Recipes:

Bacon Wrapped Poblano

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Fire roasted poblano stuffed with creamy Oaxaca cheese and crumbled sausage, wrapped in smoky bacon and served on a plate of corn crema

Bacon wrapped poblano stuffed with Oaxaca cheese and sausage served in corn crema

One of my favorite dishes to make are Bacon Wrapped Poblanos. I’ve made them a million different ways, but this might just be my favorite. If you’ve ever tried a poblano pepper, sometimes called pasilla pepper, you know that one time you’ll get a spicy one and other times they have a definite kick to them, which makes this sweet corn crema the perfect way to eat these up! These babies are stuffed with a creamy Mexican melting cheese called Oaxaca and spicy crumbled sausage, them wrapped up in a smoky piece of bacon. You’ll want to make extra of these!

Bacon Wrapped Poblanos are hearty enough to serve as a main dish or perfect for an appetizer.  Serve with Enchiladas Suiza and a plate of freshly shredded lettuce, sliced tomato and avocado.  If you are having friends over, set out a couple poblanos, a batch of Frijoles Charros, your favorite tortilla chips and pico de gallo for an Out West inspired gathering.

Related Recipes

  • Flavorful broth based Poblano Corn Tortilla Soup with cilantro, lime and Queso Oaxaca
  • Frijoles Charros are creamy pinto beans are cooked with bacon and chorizo to get that smokey, spicy flavor and a mirapoix of celery, carrot and onion add a richness. Topped with crumbed cotija and crispy fried tortilla strips, you've got a family friendly meal in a bowl.
  • Carne en su Jugo
Stuffed poblano wrapped in bacon in cream corn sauce
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Bacon Wrapped Poblano

Fire roasted poblano stuffed with creamy Oaxaca cheese and crumbled sausage, wrapped in smokey bacon and served on a plate of corn crema
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword bacon wrapped peppers, pasilla pepper, stuffed pepper, stuffed poblano
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 5

Ingredients

Poblano Peppers

  • 5 poblano peppers (pasilla peppers)
  • 1 lb hot ground sausage
  • 10 oz Oaxaca cheese, grated (found in Mexican section of dairy)
  • 5 slices bacon

Corn Crema

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cup corn, frozen
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tsp lime juice, fresh
  • 1/2 tsp sugar

Instructions

Bacon Wrapped Poblano

  • Heat oven on broil
  • Place poblano peppers on sheet pan and broil on each side until blackened
  • Remove from oven and quickly place in a bowl with lid.  Leave here for about 5 minutes to allow the skin to steam off.  After 5 minutes, remove and place on cutting board.
  • Carefully, using the back side of your knife, scrape off the blackened skin. Make a small slip in one side of the pepper and remove seeds.
  • In a medium pan over medium heat, cook sausage untl browned and crumbled.
  • Place bacon slices between two thick paper towels and microwave for two minutes, cooking partially.  Set aside.
  • Stuff peppers with 1/5 of cheese and 1/5 of cooked sausage.
  • Wrap a piece of par cooked bacon around each pepper and secure with a toothpick. 
  • Place on a sheet pan and bake for about 10 minutes while you make the corn crema.

Corn Crema

  • Heat oil in a medium pan over medium heat.  Saute onion until softened about 2 minutes. Add corn and cook another two minutes. Add chicken broth, cream, cilantro, lime and sugar. Remove from heat. 
  • Blend mixture using an immersion blender or pour into a standard blender and blend until creamed.

Plate

  • Place a ladle of the corn crema on plate, set poblano on top and serve with desired garnishes such as lime and cilantro.