Food wishes

Jackson really loved this recipe. For me it was just OK. It's certainly a fun one; what's not to love about pork tacos topped with salsa and pickled onions, served with pinto beans. It makes for a festive Saturday night dinner.

For me, the seasoning on the pork was off. I used 1tsp salt per pound of meat but felt that it still came out under-seasoned. I opted to use 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp Chinese five spice, and found the aromas from the spices and orange to be distracting. Next time, I'll go with 1/2 tsp of both cinnamon and five spice.

Even though this wasn't out of this world, I want to try it again. It would be useful to have an outstanding pork carnitas recipe in the repertoire; Pork butt is a tasty yet affordable cut, and serving big chunks of it over tortillas is a simple delight. If I make carnitas again, I might try another source's seasoning profile. Between the orange zest and the Chinese five spice, Chef John's carnitas have a fusion feel. I'd be curious to see how something more traditionally tex-mex compares.