The Popular Aldi Product That Makes Taco Night Easier Than Ever

Back when tacos were still somewhat of a novelty and Taco Bell was the only "Mexican" restaurant in town, ground beef was a pretty standard filling. While it's still a classic, if you really do eat tacos every Tuesday (or at least on a regular basis), you may want to try something new, now and then. Trader Joe's orange chicken tacos might be one of the more creative options available these days, but if you'd prefer a more traditional filling, you may enjoy three-ingredient homemade carnitas. An even quicker option, however, might be to use the carnitas-seasoned boneless pork shoulder roast from Aldi.

This seasoned meat comes in a package weighing about two pounds, but if you're not feeding the multitudes, you can always freeze the leftovers. As for the preparation method, you can roast it like you would any other pork shoulder, or opt to use a slow cooker or Instant Pot if you're particularly fond of either appliance. To turn Aldi's seasoned pork shoulder roast into taco filling, cook it until it falls apart, shred it, stuff it into a tortilla, and smother it with salsa, cheese, and any other toppings you like.

Even though Aldi's carnitas-seasoned pork makes a terrific taco filler, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy it. Carnitas, which means "little meats" in Spanish, is essentially pulled pork done Mexican-style; often used in burritos, empanadas, enchiladas, and quesadillas. Sticking with a Mexican-inspired or Tex-Mex theme, Aldi's roast could make for a nacho topper or be added to chili. You could also venture further afield and put it to good use by making our 20-minute Korean tacos. It would also be pretty tasty atop either mashed or baked potatoes. Or, you could treat the roast like Southern-style pulled pork by mixing it with barbecue sauce, plopping it on a bun, and topping it with coleslaw.

The thing is, Aldi isn't selling pre-shredded carnitas, but rather a boneless pork shoulder with carnitas-inspired seasonings. This means that you're not obligated to shred the meat, and could instead roast it whole and serve it sliced. For a complete meal, you could also add onions, carrots, or potatoes to the pan along with the meat. If you're feeling more ambitious, though, Aldi's carnitas-seasoned roast would be a great way to spice up our easy buttermilk-braised pork shoulder recipe. However you slice it, Aldi brings the crowd-pleasing flavor with this easy-to-prepare main dish.