Hosting a Mexican fiesta at home is easier than you think with Rock Yo Taco, our smoky organic taco seasoning blend made for tacos, rice bowls, and fiesta-style spreads. This recipe walks you through making slow-cooked carnitas that melt in your mouth, fluffy Mexican rice, creamy refried beans, and simple elotes-style street corn for a complete homemade meal. The key is time and good seasoning – letting the pork simmer low and slow creates unbelievably tender meat.
The beauty of this street-taco recipe is its flexibility. Don’t worry if you don’t have cotija cheese or crema – mayonnaise and Parmesan make a great stand-in for elotes, and canned refried beans come alive with salsa, taco seasoning, and a dash of hot sauce. Serve the juicy carnitas and optional steak slices in crispy corn tortillas with Mexican rice and beans on the side. It’s the ultimate homemade taco night meal and great for meal prep since leftovers freeze beautifully.
Slow‑Cooked Carnitas Street Tacos with Mexican Rice & Refried Beans
Tender carnitas, fluffy Mexican rice and seasoned refried beans come together to create an irresistible street‑taco feast – perfect for your next fiesta or family dinner.
Ingredients
For the Carnitas
- 1 (7 lb) Boston butt (pork shoulder)
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2–3 tablespoons Rock Yo Taco (Rock Yo' Taco)
- 1 onion, quartered
Mexican Rice
- 2 cups long‑grain white rice
- 4 cups water (or half water, half reserved pork broth)
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 1–2 jalapeños, diced (optional)
Refried Beans
- 1 (15‑oz) can refried beans
- 2 tablespoons salsa
- 2–3 tablespoons Rock Yo Taco (Rock Yo' Taco)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ½ cup shredded cheese (Parmesan, cotija or cheddar)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Street Corn
- 4 ears corn, boiled or grilled
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon Rock Yo Taco (Rock Yo' Taco)
For Street Tacos
- Corn tortillas
- 1–2 New York strip steaks (optional, for steak tacos)
- Additional toppings: diced onion, chopped cilantro, lime wedges
Instructions
Prepare the Carnitas
- Place the Boston butt in a slow cooker or large pot. Add broth, onion, bay leaf and taco seasoning. Cover and cook on low for about 5 hours or until the meat falls apart. Remove any cartilage, shred the pork and reserve the cooking liquid.
Make the Mexican Rice
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. In a saucepan combine the rice with water and reserved broth (two cups of liquid per cup of rice). Add taco seasoning and jalapeños. Bring to a boil, stir once, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the covered pot sit undisturbed for 30 minutes. Fluff with a fork and season with salt.
Upgrade the Refried Beans
- In a microwave‑safe bowl combine refried beans, salsa, taco seasoning, hot sauce and diced onions. Microwave on high for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through. Stir in the shredded cheese until melted and sprinkle with cilantro.
Prepare Street Corn
- Brush the cooked corn with mayonnaise, sprinkle with taco seasoning and grated Parmesan. Serve warm.
Cook the steak and tortillas
- Season the New York strip steak with Rock Yo Taco. Sear in a hot skillet until medium‑rare, rest and slice thinly. In the same skillet cook corn tortillas for 20–30 seconds per side until lightly crispy.
Assemble the tacos
- Fill each tortilla with shredded carnitas or steak slices. Serve with Mexican rice and refried beans on the side. Garnish with onions, cilantro and lime wedges. Add street corn for an authentic elotes experience.
