Spicy Pork and Street Corn Tacos with Chili Lime Crema

These tacos capture the essence of Mexican street corn (esquites) with charred kernels, creamy chili-lime sauce and spiced ground pork. Perfect for any night of the week, they bring a sunny, smoky-sweet flavor to your table.

Quick-pickled shallot and jalapeño add a bright, tangy crunch that balances the rich pork and corn. Serve with warm flour tortillas and a drizzle of crema for a satisfying meal.

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Ingredients

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit JalapeñoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chili PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

13.4 ounce CornView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground PorkView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 teaspoon SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Halve, peel and thinly slice the shallot. Zest and halve the lime. Thinly slice the jalapeño into rounds, removing ribs and seeds for less heat.
2. In a small bowl, combine the shallot, juice from the whole lime, ¼ teaspoon sugar, a pinch of salt and as much jalapeño as you like. Set aside to pickle, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve.
3. In another small bowl, combine the sour cream, ¼ teaspoon chili powder, salt, pepper and lime zest to taste. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until the mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
4. Drain the corn and pat very dry with paper towels. Heat a large dry nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook without stirring until browned on the bottom, 3-4 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring, until charred all over, 3-4 minutes more. Transfer to a medium bowl.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and a drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, 4-6 minutes. Stir in the Southwest spice blend and ¼ teaspoon chili powder. Cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the stock concentrate and ¼ cup water. Cook until the liquid has mostly reduced and the pork is cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
6. Reserving the pickled vegetables, pour some pickling liquid into the bowl with the corn. Stir in a drizzle of olive oil, the remaining chili powder and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, about 30 seconds. Divide the tortillas among plates and fill with the pork and corn. Top with the crema and as many pickled vegetables as you like. Serve.
7. Reserving the pickled vegetables, pour some pickling liquid into the bowl with the corn. Stir in a drizzle of olive oil, the remaining chili powder and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, about 30 seconds. Divide the tortillas among plates and fill with the pork and corn. Top with the crema and as many pickled vegetables as you like. Serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use frozen corn instead of canned?

Yes, thaw and pat dry before cooking to achieve charring.

Can I substitute the ground pork with another protein?

Ground chicken, turkey or beef work well; adjust cooking time as needed.

How do I store leftovers?

Store components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.