Carnitas Taco Rehydrate
Freeze-dried pulled pork, orange, and cumin, back to life in one pot with tortillas on the side.
- calories
- 640
- weight
- 6 oz
- cal / oz
- 107
- protein
- 38 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 10 min
- total time
- 15 min
- water
- 300 ml boiled
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Lunch
- Canister stove
- Liquid fuel
- Backpacking
- Basecamp
- Car camping
- Canoe / raft
- Gluten free
- Nut free
- Dairy free
- One pot
- Dehydrate ahead
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Dehydrated pulled pork | 4 oz | cook a pork shoulder at home, shred lean, dry it hard |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp | dropper bottle |
| Ground cumin | 1 tsp | |
| Dried oregano | 1 tsp | |
| Cayenne pepper | 1/4 tsp | |
| Salt and pepper | 1/2 tsp total | |
| Dried onion flakes | 2 tbsp | |
| Garlic powder | 1 tsp | |
| Dried jalapeno flakes | 1 tsp | or a pinch more cayenne |
| Orange drink powder or dried orange peel | 1 tbsp | the acid and zest, without carrying fruit |
| Corn tortillas | 6 small | |
| Dried cilantro | 1 tsp | |
| Hot sauce packets | 2 |
Method
- Boil 300 ml of water. Dump in the pork, onion flakes, jalapeno, and all the spices except the orange powder.
- Cover and pull it off the heat. Ten minutes. The pork needs the full soak or it stays leathery.
- Put the pot back on low, add the oil, and stir until the water is gone and the meat starts to catch on the bottom. Those browned edges are the point.
- Kill the heat and stir in the orange powder. Adding it hot and late keeps it bright instead of cooked flat.
- Warm the tortillas one at a time on the hot pot lid, ten seconds a side.
- Load the tortillas, hit them with hot sauce, and eat standing up.
The slow cooker does eight hours of work you cannot do on trail, so it happens at home. Braise the shoulder, shred it, pull the fat off, and dry it thoroughly. Lean meat dehydrates and rehydrates; fatty meat goes rancid in a pack. The fat comes back as olive oil at camp, which also does the frying.
The second half of the original recipe survives the transfer intact. Crisping the rehydrated pork against a hot pot is the same move as crisping it in a skillet, and it matters more here, since boiled meat with no browning tastes like nothing. Orange is the other thing worth carrying. Powdered drink mix or dried peel gets you the acid that cuts through a heavy pot of pork.
Packing
Pork and all the dry seasonings go in one bag. Tortillas ride flat against your back panel or they come out as chips. Oil in a leakproof bottle, inside a second bag.
Variations
- Skip the tortillas and stir instant refried bean flakes into the pot for a one-bowl version.
- A packet of instant rice on the side turns two servings into three.
https://www.bowlofdelicious.com/slow-cooker-carnitas-pulled-pork-tacos