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Three crispy chicharron tacos topped with chunky guacamole on corn tortillas, served on a silver plate with lime wedge

Crispy Chicharron Tacos with Barrel-Hung Pork Belly

Pork belly strips get seasoned, hung over live coals until the skin turns golden and crackly, then chopped hot and piled onto warm yellow corn tortillas with fresh guacamole and lime.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pork Belly
  • 2 lbs pork belly strips, skin on about 1 1/2 inches thick
  • your favorite taco seasoning or pork seasoning savory, no sugar
  • avocado oil for the skin
  • kosher salt for the skin
Guacamole
  • 3 medium avocados
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 2 serrano peppers, finely diced
  • 1/4 white onion, diced
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • salt, to taste
For Serving
  • yellow corn tortillas
  • avocado oil a little, for warming the tortillas

Equipment

  • Barrel cooker with hanging hooks
  • Griddle or skillet, for tortillas

Method
 

Prep the Pork Belly
  1. Score the meat side of each pork belly strip all the way down toward the skin, without cutting through the skin. Season the meat side generously with your taco or pork seasoning.
  2. Lightly coat the skin with avocado oil as a binder and season it with salt only. Keep sweet seasoning off the skin, since the high heat can burn it.
  3. Optional but recommended: refrigerate the seasoned pork belly uncovered overnight. The salt draws moisture out of the skin and gives you a better shot at crispy, crackly texture.
Hang and Cook
  1. Get your barrel cooker running between 350 and 400°F.
  2. Using sturdy cooking hooks, carefully hang the pork belly strips from the barrel so they cook vertically over the heat.
  3. Cook until the pork reaches approximately 185°F internal and the skin is deeply golden and crispy. Keep an eye on the skin as it cooks. You want it rendered and crackly, not burnt. Go by temperature and the look of the skin, not the clock.
Make the Guacamole
  1. While the pork cooks, add the avocados, tomatoes, cilantro, serranos, onion, lime juice, and salt to a bowl. Mash and mix to your preferred consistency, then taste and adjust the salt and lime.
Warm the Tortillas and Build
  1. Lightly brush the tortillas with oil and warm them on a hot griddle, skillet, or grill until heated through and pliable. Warm and flexible is the goal, not hard or crispy.
  2. Remove the pork belly from the barrel and rest it a few minutes, then cut it into small bite size pieces.
  3. Spread a generous spoonful of guacamole on each warm tortilla, top with the chopped crispy pork belly, and serve immediately with fresh lime squeezed over the top.

Notes

No Barrel Cooker: Cook the strips over indirect heat on a regular grill or roast them in the oven, then finish with high heat. Focus on rendering the pork belly and getting the skin crispy.
Seasoning: Use a savory blend without sugar. Sweet rubs can burn over high heat.
Cook Time: Time varies with your fire and strip thickness. Cook to approximately 185°F internal with crispy skin rather than a set time.
Nutrition: Values shown are estimates.

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