Pulled Pork Tacos with Tangy Coleslaw

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.

Mango Slaw

When Clara was little we used to frequent this little Thai restaurant in our neighbourhood.

One of the things we ordered a over and over was their mango salad.

The restaurant has since closed but tonight I really felt like eating that mango salad.

This mango slaw is better than any I have eaten at a restaurant.

It has so much in each bite.

Sweet mango, spicy chili, tangy lime and crunchy cabbage.

I will be making this one a lot this summer!

Mango Slaw

(Moosewood)

*The recipe calls for shredded cabbage and carrot. I used 1 bag of PC coleslaw mix which has cabbage, carrot and broccoli.

1 ripe but slightly firm mango, peeled and thinly sliced

1 1/2- 2 C shredded cabbage

1 C shredded carrot

1/4 C thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

1/4 C lime juice, about 2 limes

2 Tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbsp Olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

1 pinch red pepper flakes or 1 minced chile

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated

In a large bowl toss together mint, carrot, cabbage and mango.

In a mason jar or small bowl, mix lime juice, maple syrup, salt, oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and ginger.

Toss together salad and dressing. Let stand 20 mins, if possible, so the flavours blend.

Thinking about Clara's many trips to the Thai restaurant, reminded me of this picture.

Jim's first solo trip with Jim and I to Starbucks.

He thought it was pretty great...and felt that at a place this fancy he should take off his rubber boots!