Kamala Harris' Favorite Kind Of Taco And Her Must-Have Topping Ingredients

When it comes to tacos, there are literally hundreds of options for every taste. But as far as Vice President Kamala Harris goes, one kind of taco reigns supreme and it's an absolute classic — carnitas. She revealed her preference at a reception she hosted at her home for Latino leaders that was captured in a TikTok. A 10-year-old boy asked the loaded question, to which Harris responded without hesitation. "It's usually carnitas," she said. "It's kinda like my go-to. Sometimes I might go for, like, fish, but carnitas are really my favorite." 

Harris went on to add she likes to top her taco de carnitas with a little cilantro and lime, but no raw onion. "Are you doing raw onion?" she asked the boy, to which he shook his head to indicate no. "No, me neither," said Harris. But the young interviewer was not done yet. He approached her husband, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, with the same question and he answered that carnitas was also his favorite kind of taco. However, neither Harris nor her husband revealed whether they like salsa on their tacos. 

Carnitas are a traditional pork dish popular all over Mexico, but commonly associated with the state of Michoacan, on the West Coast of the country. It consists of pork chunks that are slow-cooked (traditionally in a large copper pot) with orange juice and herbs until they are falling apart tender, then fried with pork lard to crispy perfection. They are commonly eaten in tacos, wrapped in hot corn tortillas, and topped with cilantro, onion, a squeeze of lime, and creamy salsa verde or guacamole. 

Although the preparation is usually straightforward, some famous chefs like Rick Bayless and Enrique Olvera choose to add things like evaporated or condensed milk, or even Coca-Cola, to burn and caramelize the fat to add even more flavor and texture to the pork. If you want to make them at home and see why Vice President Kamala Harris loves them so much, you can easily make them with this slow-cooker carnitas recipe. And you can go a step further and make your own corn tortillas from scratch for an extra traditional touch.