Weekly R&R #007: Seared Chipotle-Lime Pork Tacos with Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients

For the Pork & Marinade:

• 6 pork chops (1–1.5 inches thick, bone-in or boneless)
• 4–5 chipotle peppers in adobo
• 2–3 tbsp adobo sauce
• 4 garlic cloves
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

For the Pickled Red Onions:

• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• Optional: garlic clove, peppercorns, chili flakes

For Serving:

• 1 portion yellow rice
• 1 can refried beans
• Corn or flour tortillas
• Optional toppings: lime wedges, cotija cheese, avocado, crema, cilantro

Instructions

Optional Step – Marinate Overnight for Deeper Flavor

1. Blend all marinade ingredients until smooth (30–60 seconds).
2. Pat pork chops dry and place them in a sealed container or zip-top bag.
3. Coat pork thoroughly in marinade.
4. Refrigerate overnight (8–20 hours) to deepen flavor.
5. If short on time, you can skip the marinating and proceed directly to sous vide cooking.

1. Sous Vide the Pork

1. Preheat sous vide water bath to 135°F for juicy pork or 140°F for a more traditional doneness.
2. Place pork chops (with marinade if marinated) into vacuum-sealed or zip-top bags using the water displacement method.
3. Sous vide for 1.5 to 2 hours.
4. When done, remove from bags and pat the pork very dry with paper towels.
5. Optionally, refrigerate on a wire rack (uncovered or loosely tented) until ready to sear.

2. Make the Pickled Red Onions

1. In a small saucepan, bring vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a boil.
2. Add sliced onions and simmer for 1–2 minutes.
3. Turn off heat and let onions cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes.
4. Transfer to a jar with liquid and refrigerate. Use after 30 minutes or store up to 2 weeks.

3. Prepare Sides & Toppings

• Cook yellow rice according to package directions.
• Heat refried beans in a saucepan with a splash of water or broth. Stir until smooth and hot.
• Prep and chill any toppings you’d like to serve.

4. Sear the Pork & Serve

1. Preheat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over high heat for 5–7 minutes.
2. Lightly oil pork chops and sear for 1–2 minutes per side until golden-brown.
3. Let rest briefly, then slice into thin strips.
4. Warm tortillas and assemble tacos with sliced pork, pickled onions, and desired toppings.

Optional: Sauce Reduction

If desired, reduce the leftover marinade or pork juices:

1. Simmer in a saucepan and bring to a full boil for 1 minute.
2. Add 1 tsp honey, splash of orange juice, and 1 tbsp butter.
3. Simmer until slightly thickened (5–10 minutes). Drizzle over tacos or rice.

Storage & Reheating

• Fridge: Store cooked pork up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze cooled sous vide bags up to 3 months.
• Reheat:
  • From fridge: Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water or air fry at 325°F for 3–5 min.
  • From freezer: Sous vide at 135°F for 45–60 minutes, then sear.

This dish started the way many of my recipes do — out of practical constraints. Pork chops were on sale, and I already had chipotles, garlic, and limes at home. I wasn’t chasing anything elaborate, just trying to make the most of what I had before it went bad. But the moment I tasted it, I knew it was more than a quick weeknight experiment — it had become a staple in my regular meal rotation.

What I like about this recipe is how approachable it feels. The marinade takes minutes to blend, the sous vide makes the cooking nearly foolproof, and the sear at the end is just enough to give it life and texture. It’s versatile enough to go into tacos, be stacked into a sandwich or wrap, or even folded into a stir-fry — simple, but hard to beat.

That’s part of why it’s stuck with me. Not every recipe has to be about chasing something new. Some are about creating reliable rituals — dishes you can prep in bulk to feed a group or keep on hand for the days when life feels demanding. Even without an overnight marinade, the pork offers a depth of flavor and complexity that far exceeds the effort involved.

In the end, it’s just pork, tortillas, or bread. But for me it’s become something bigger: proof that comfort doesn’t have to mean compromise. Sometimes the best meals are the ones you can count on — low-stress, repeatable, and somehow more satisfying than anything you could order in.