King Oyster Mushroom Carnitas Tacos
Shredded king oyster stems roast into something startlingly close to pulled pork — crispy at the edges, tender in the middle, deeply savory. Orange juice, cumin and oregano do the heavy lifting; the mushroom’s dense fiber does the rest.
Ingredients
Mushroom Carnitas
- 1 lb king oyster mushrooms from KC Mushroom Co.
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 orange juiced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- kosher salt to taste
To Serve
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 1/2 white onion finely diced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 limes cut into wedges
- salsa verde optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan with parchment.
- Shred the king oyster mushrooms lengthwise with a fork, pulling from the stem end. You want irregular strands, not clean slices — the ragged edges are what crisp up.
- Toss the shredded mushrooms with oil, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, garlic powder and a generous pinch of salt.
- Spread in a single layer on the sheet pan. Roast 20 minutes, tossing once at the halfway mark.
- Whisk the orange juice and soy sauce together. Pour over the mushrooms and toss.
- Return to the oven and roast another 8 to 10 minutes until the liquid has cooked off and the edges are crisp and browned.
- Warm the tortillas over a gas flame or in a dry skillet. Fill with the carnitas and top with onion, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
From the farm: Shred with the grain, not against it. King oyster’s dense vertical fiber structure is what makes this work — pulling lengthwise gives you long strands that read as pulled meat rather than mushroom crumbles.
Make ahead: The mushrooms can be shredded and seasoned a day ahead. Roast just before serving for the best texture.