Print

Crisp Pork and Watermelon Tacos

Prevent your screen from going dark

Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 30 minutes

In How to Cook Everything Fast, recipe directions are separated into “prep” and “cook.” Here, we’ve made that distinction with italics for prep-work and plain text for cooking. This reflects the most efficient order and timing of tasks.

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 pound boneless pork sirloin or loin chops
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 small seedless watermelon (you’ll need only 2 cups chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 limes
  • Several sprigs fresh cilantro
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 4 ounces queso fresco (1 cup crumbled; optional)

Instructions

  1. Put 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Cut the pork into thin strips about 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide.
  3. Add the pork to the skillet in a single layer, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook undisturbed until it begins to crisp on the bottom and release from the pan, about 3 minutes.
  4. Halve and peel the watermelon. Chop the flesh into 1/2-inch chunks; you’ll need 2 cups for the tacos. Refrigerate the rest for another use.
    Peel and mince 2 cloves garlic.
  5. When the pork begins to crisp, stir in the garlic, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon chili powder. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the spices are fragrant and the pork is crisp and no longer bright pink at the center, 3 to 5 minutes more.
  6. Halve the limes.
    Strip the leaves from several cilantro sprigs.
    Put the tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds or so to warm them up.
    Crumble 1 cup queso fresco if you’re using it.
  7. When the pork is crisp all over, assemble the tacos: Put the pork on a tortilla, top with watermelon and cilantro, and squeeze lime juice over the top. Sprinkle with queso fresco if you’re using it and serve.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Fast

Recipe variations

Crisp Pork and Pear Tacos Omit the cilantro and queso fresco. Substitute 2 cups chopped pears (about 2 pears) for the watermelon; peel, seed, and chop them after Step 2. Use 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage instead of the ground cumin and 1 teaspoon dry mustard instead of the chili powder. Use 1 lemon in place of the limes.

Crisp Chicken and Mango Tacos Use 2 cups chopped mangoes instead of the watermelon. Instead of the pork, cut and cook 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs as described in Steps 1 through 3. Everything else stays the same.

Crisp Bacon and Peach Tacos Only when peaches are at peak season. Figure you’ll need 4; cut them into chunks (peeling is optional). Substitute 12 slices thick-cut bacon for the pork; chop it into 1-inch pieces. It will crisp a little faster than the sliced pork. Drain the bacon on towels before assembling the tacos.