Meat & Game

Pork Belly Tacos

Crispy pork belly tacos with homemade maize tortillas, fresh toppings, and a spicy marinade. A proper Mexican-inspired dish that brings bold flavours together in one bite.

By Ricky Robinson Updated March 19, 2024

Tacos are a staple of Mexican cuisine and it's easy to see why. With simple, fresh ingredients and bold flavours, they offer something special in every bite.

This recipe features tender pork belly slices, marinated in a blend of spices and citrus, then roasted until crispy.

As the pork belly roasts, the spices caramelise and create a flavour-packed crust that's absolutely worth the wait.
The marinade combines chilli powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and a squeeze of lime juice to create layers of heat and depth that work beautifully with the rich pork.

Pork Belly Tacos recipe image
Pork Belly Tacos

What makes this recipe stand out is the homemade maize tortillas. Using just tortilla flour, salt, and lukewarm water, you can make soft, pliable discs that are far better than anything from a packet. The dough comes together quickly and after a short rest, it presses or rolls out easily. Cooking them in a hot pan gives them those characteristic charred spots and a proper corn flavour that shop-bought versions rarely match.

Once assembled, each taco is layered with crunchy iceberg lettuce, creamy avocado, tangy pickled red onions, and fresh tomato. Finish with a drizzle of hot sauce, a sprinkle of fresh coriander, and sliced red chilli for a bit of colour and heat. The combination of textures and flavours makes these tacos feel like a real treat, whether it's a midweek meal or something for the weekend.

Pork Belly Tacos

Chilli Pork belly Tortilla
Total Time 1 hr 30 min
Servings 4 servings
Calories 520 cal
Protein 22g

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Tortilla Press
  • Oven Tray
  • Rolling Pin
  • Pot
  • Frying Pan
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Oven

Instructions

  1. 1
    Pre heat oven 200C, then in a bowl, mix together the chilli, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, lime juice & olive oil.
  2. 2
    Bring a pot of water to the boil then add the pork belly cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pork belly and pat dry.
  3. 3
    Place the pork belly on a oven tray and pour over the spicy oil mix, making sure the meat gets a good coating.
  4. 4
    Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until crispy, turning the slices half way though.
  5. 5
    In a bowl add the flour, salt, and water then mix together to form a dough. If the dough feels too dry add some more water, a small amount at a time, until you have a soft and smooth dough.
  6. 6
    Knead the dough for a few minutes and form a ball, then cover with a clean tea towel and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
  7. 7
    Split the dough and roll into golf ball sized pieces. Place a ball in-between two pieces of parchment paper and press in a tortilla press, or roll out with a rolling pin to make a disc roughly 15cm in diameter.
  8. 8
    Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
  9. 9
    Heat a frying pan until hot and cook the tortillas, two at a time, for 2 minutes per side.
  10. 10
    Take the pork belly out of the oven and cut into bite size pieces.
  11. 11
    Place a still-warm tortilla on a serving plate and layer up the iceberg lettuce, avocado and pork belly.
  12. 12
    Garnish with tomato, spring onion and some pickled red onion. And finally, finish off with some hot sauce, fresh coriander & chilli.
Ricky Robinson - Recipe Author
Ricky Robinson

Home cook sharing delicious recipes with a focus on flavour and simplicity.

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Serving Suggestions

Serve with lime wedges on the side, or add a dollop of sour cream for extra richness. Pairs well with Mexican rice or black beans.

Variations

For a milder version, reduce the cayenne pepper and chilli powder by half. You can also swap pork belly for chicken thighs or prawns for a lighter option.

Pork Belly Tacos

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