A truly terrific taco
3/29/11 4:27 PM
A truly terrific taco
Roberto Santibanez’s taco truck is so good, it doesn’t
need a name
By Andrew Monko
Only a short year passed after the launch of Hoboken's brightorange Taco Truck before owner Jason Scott added a
permanent storefront in July 2010. With Roberto Santibañez —
a Mexico native and award-winning chef — behind the menu,
the Taco Truck's shotgun success shouldn't be surprising.
Follow this carnitas recipe from Santibañez for tacos with
tender, mouth-watering pork. The flavor and texture are close to the traditional carnitas
preparation: a whole pig cooked in an enormous copper pot. (Get bonus points for following
TTT's eco-friendly practice of using locally raised pork.)
Active time: 20 minutes. Start to finish: 2 hours. Serves 8 regular portions, or enough for 24 to 32
tacos (or about 10 tortas).
Ingredients:
4 pounds fatty pork butt (shoulder), cut into 2-inch pieces
2 ounces pork lard or vegetable oil
3 cups water
1/2 orange, cut into 2 pieces
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
2 teaspoons fine salt (or 4 teaspoons coarse salt)
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
Preparation:
For carnitas: Put all the ingredients in a wide, 6- to 7-quart heavy pot (don't worry if pork is not
completely covered) and bring to a boil, skimming surface as necessary. Simmer vigorously
about 1 1/2 hours over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pork is tender and liquid has
completely evaporated. Discard orange and bay leaves. Lower heat to medium and continue
frying pork in the fat left in pan, stirring frequently until golden brown about 15 to 20 minutes.
Carnitas keep in the refrigerator 3 days. If you prefer, you can do the browning in the oven (right
away or when you reheat the carnitas). Preheat oven to 450 degrees and cook until browned, 20
to 30 minutes.
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A truly terrific taco
3/29/11 4:27 PM
For tacos de carnitas: Shred meat and serve warm in corn tortillas along with any salsa you
like, such as "salsa verde." Complete with chopped onion, cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
Salsa verde cruda (fresh green salsa)
Active time: 15 minutes. Start to finish: 15 minutes. Makes 2 cups.
Ingredients:
1 pound tomatillos (5 to 6), husked, rinsed and coarsely chopped
2 serrano chiles, stemmed and sliced (can use jalapenos instead)
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons chopped white onion
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (12 sprigs cilantro, roots removed)
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
Preparation:
Put tomatillos into blender first (see tip below), then add remaining ingredients and blend until
smooth (seeds will be still visible). Adjust salt content and verify that acidity is right. If not tart
enough, add a squirt of lime juice from a freshly cut lime. Note: The salsa can be made a few
hours in advance, but no longer or it will lose its fresh, sharp taste.
Tip: Tomatillos contain a lot of water. When the blender starts, they quickly liquidize, making it
easier to blend the other ingredients into the salsa. Don't add any water. Just be patient.
The Taco Truck Official Site
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