Pulled Pork Tacos
Tacos are always great, and these pulled pork tacos will not disappoint. Whether you`re making them just for yourself or for family and friends, leftovers can be used to make so many different meals. A pulled pork shepherds pie, pulled pork sandwich, nachos, poutine…. The possibilities are endless. It takes a couple of hours to achieve the perfectly tender shredded pork, but it`s not labour intensive and it`s worth every second.
Start by searing the whole pork roast in an extremely hot skillet. You want it to brown enough all the way around, so it should take about 3-4 minutes for each side. Remove from heat and reserve.
Prepare the spice mix by mixing 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp mustard seed, 2 tsps ground cumin, 2 tsps ground coriander, and 2 bay leaves.
Rub half of the spice mix on the pork roast and reserve the other half for the sauce.
Place 1 Spanish onion (cut in large chunks), 4 garlic cloves (peeled and lightly smashed), 1 ½ cup of chicken broth, 1 cup of beer (light IPA or amber preferred), the remaining spices and the seared pork roast in an instant pot. Close it and pressure cook for 90 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release once it`s done for 10-20 minutes.
Note: If the pork is not ready to shred at this point, pressure cook for another 30 minutes.
In the meantime, you can get started on all the garnishes and other parts of the dish. In a medium bowl, mix 3 roma tomatoes (small diced), ¼ fresh pineapple (cored and small diced), 1 medium red onion (small diced), 1 Jalapeno pepper (small diced – optional), 1 Tbsp extra virgen olive oil, ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and reserve in the fridge until you`re ready to eat.
Make the guacamole by mashing 3-4 ripe avocados in a bowl with 1-2 minced garlic cloves and the juice of 1 lime with a fork, you can make it as smooth or chunky as you`d like. Mix in 2 roma tomatoes (small diced) and ½ red onion (small diced). Make sure to leave one of the avocado pits with the guacamole to prevent it from browning. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap tightly, not leaving any space for air, and place it in the fridge until you`re ready to serve.
Cut 10 flour or corn tortillas in 4 pieces. Heat up a pot of oil to 325F and keep it around this temperature. Fry them a few at a time for about 4 minutes, until slightly browned, and then place them on paper towels to crisp up. Sprinkle with salt.
Remove the pork from the instant pot after the pressure is released and place it in a large bowl, use two forks to shred it.
Continue to cook the sauce in the instant pot until it reduces by 2/3, it should be fairly thick. Strain the sauce and discard all solids. Mix the thickened sauce with the shredded pork and add BBQ sauce to taste.
Serve on corn tortillas (it could be flour if you prefer) with lime wedges, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and any other of your favourite toppings.
Pulled Pork Tacos
Servings: 6
Time: 2 hours
Ingredients
Pulled Pork Roast
3 Lbs Pork Shoulder or Butt Roast
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
2 tsp Ground Cumin
2 tsp Ground Coriander
2 Bay Leaves
4 Garlic Cloves, smashed
1 Spanish Onion, large dice
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 ½ Cups Chicken Broth (low sodium preferred)
1 Cup Beer (light IPA or Amber Ale preferred)
Fresh Pineapple Salsa
3 Roma Tomatoes, small dice
1 Medium Red Onion, small dice
¼ Pineapple, small dice
2 Tbsp Fresh Chives, small dice
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 Jalapeno Pepper, small dice (optional)
½ Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Guacamole
3-4 Ripe Avocados
2 Roma Tomatoes, small dice
½ Red Onion, small dice
1-2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 - 1 ½ Limes, juiced
Salt and Pepper to taste
Fresh Tortilla Chips
10 Small Corn or Flour Tortillas, quartered
Oil for frying
Salt to taste
Toppings
1 Cup Sour Cream
1+ Cup Shredded Cheese, cheddar preferred
Lime wedges
BBQ Sauce, your favourite will do! (optional)
15-20 Street Corn Tortillas
Step-by-Step
1. Heat up a seasoned skillet on high heat until extremely hot. Sear the whole pork roast for about 3 minutes a side and remove from heat.
2. Rub the pork roast with half of the spice mix.
3. Place large diced onion, smashed garlic cloves, the remaining spice mix, beer, chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste, and the seared pork roast into an instant pot. Pressure cook for 90 minutes and let it naturally depressurize for 10-15 minutes.
4. While the pork in in the pressure pot, make the salsa by combining all ingredients in a bowl. Reserve in the fridge.
5. Make the guacamole by mashing the avocados, minced garlic and lime juice with a fork. Mix in the diced red onion and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep one of the avocado pits in the bowl to prevent the guacamole from browning and cover with cling wrap tightly until you`re ready to eat.
6. Heat up a pot of frying oil to 325F and keep it around this temperature. Fry the cut tortillas, a few at a time, for about 4 minutes or until slightly browned. Take the chips out and rest them on paper towels to crisp up. Lightly sprinkle them with fine sea salt.
7. Remove the pork from the instant pot and place it in a large bowl. Use two forks to shred the roast completely.
8. Set the instant pot to sear and reduce the sauce by 2/3, until it`s thickened. Strain and mix the shredded pork in the reduced sauce and then add BBQ sauce (optional).
9. Assemble your taco!
