Pulled pork tacos are so good.
I love that they're spicy and fresh and creamy, filling and exotic all at the same time.
I bought a big pork loin and planned to make pulled pork with it but changed my mind and made tacos instead.
The tacos start similar to a pulled pork but the stewing sauce gets really built up with all kinds of flavour.
The sauce has loads of citrus and smoky chipotle, rich tomato and garlic.
The pork then simmers in this sauce for almost 2 hours. It will at that point literally fall apart.
Serve the shredded pork on warm corn tortillas with a coleslaw dressed with lots of lime juice on top.
Since younger family members don't appreciate heat as much as Jim and I do, I took out a piece of meat shredded it and left it mostly sauceless for them.
I also offered them simpler toppings of shredded carrot, thinly sliced red pepper and sour cream in place of the coleslaw.
Pulled Pork Tacos with Tangy Coleslaw
(The Neelys recipe from foodnetwork.com)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (or regular chili powder)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ( about 3 1/2-pounds) boneless pork butt, cut into 3-inch chunks (I used Pork Loin)
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup chicken stock
1 small can tomato puree
1 tablespoons honey
1 orange, halved and juiced
1 lime, halved and juiced
1 package corn tortillas, warmed
Sour cream
Coleslaw (recipe below)
Preheat the oven to 325F.
Mix the oregano, chipotle powder, cumin, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.
Season the cubed pork chunks with the spice mixture and put into a large Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, chicken stock, the tomato puree, honey, orange and lime juice, and the juiced orange and lime halves. Stir together with a wooden spoon. Put the pot on medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Transfer to the oven and cook, covered, until the pork is tender and easily shreds, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Remove the meat from the Dutch oven to a cutting board.
Meanwhile, shred the meat and add back into the pot with the sauce.
Serve with tortillas, sour cream and coleslaw.
Tangy Coleslaw
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 small bag coleslaw or 4-6 Cups of shredded cabbage
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 carrot peeled, shredded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mix vinegar, lime juice, oil and sugar in a large bowl. Add cabbage, parsley, carrot, salt and pepper.
