Alright, so I got this idea in my head to make some chuleta tacos. Not those fancy, overly complicated things you see everywhere now. Just straightforward, good chuleta tacos. It’s harder than it sounds, mostly ’cause everyone’s trying to sell you something you don’t need, or the basics are just… bad.
First off, getting the chuletas. Pork chops, right? You’d think it’s simple. Went to my usual spot, and the prices were, let’s just say, enthusiastic. And the cuts? Some were too thick, some looked like they’d been sitting there since last Tuesday. I finally found some decent bone-in ones, not too fatty, not too lean. Took them home and just went with salt, pepper, a bit of garlic powder, and a tiny pinch of cumin. Nothing fancy. I’m not trying to win any awards here, just want to taste the pork.
Then came the cooking. I just pan-fried them. Got my cast iron skillet smoking hot – almost set off the smoke alarm, which is always a fun Tuesday night activity. Seared them hard on both sides, then turned the heat down to let them cook through. You gotta be careful here. Dry pork is a crime, and I’ve committed it plenty of times before, not gonna lie. This time, pulled them off just right, let them rest. That resting part is key, people always skip it. Then I chopped them up into bite-sized pieces. Nothing pretty, just functional.
The Other Bits and Pieces
Now, for the rest. Tortillas. This is where things usually go south. Store-bought corn tortillas can be like cardboard. I’ve tried making my own, and yeah, they’re better, but who has the time on a weeknight? I found a local brand that’s… passable. Heated them up on the same skillet I used for the pork, get those little charred bits. Makes a difference.
Salsa. Again, keep it simple. I just chopped up some onion, cilantro, a bit of jalapeño, lime juice, salt. That’s it. No need for mango-pineapple-whatever salsa that costs ten bucks a tub and tastes like disappointment. If the meat’s good, you don’t need to hide it.
- Chopped white onion
- Fresh cilantro, lots of it
- A squeeze of lime
- Maybe a dash of your favorite hot sauce if you’re feeling it
Assembled them right there. Warm tortilla, a good pile of that chopped chuleta, then the onion and cilantro mix. Squeezed a bit more lime on top. That’s a taco.
And why do I bother with all this, even when it feels like a battle against mediocre ingredients and inflated prices? Well, I remember this one time, years ago, I was so excited to try this “authentic” taco truck everyone was raving about. Paid a ridiculous amount for three tiny tacos. The meat was dry, the tortillas were cold, and it was drowned in some weird sauce. I felt cheated. Properly cheated. Like they were just going through the motions, relying on hype.
That day, I figured, you know what? Sometimes, if you want something done right, or at least done to your own damn satisfaction, you just gotta do it yourself. It’s not always perfect, sometimes I still mess up the pork, or the tortillas crack. But at least I know what went into it. No mystery meat, no hidden sugars in the sauce, just… food. And that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? Making something real, even if it’s a bit rough around the edges. These chuleta tacos? They were pretty good. Not life-changing, but honest. And that’s good enough for me.
