If you’re a fan of healthy, vitamin-packed meals, you’ll love this mouth-watering recipe. This taco is a flavor explosion in your mouth! Imagine the savory and spicy slow-cooked pulled pork, the sweet and sour taste of pickled red onions, the freshness of Mexican slaw, and the vibrant salsa verde. Add to that the sweetness of pomegranate and the unique touch of tequila-soaked raisins. Prepare for your taste buds to be in overdrive! All these flavors combined in one taco create an unforgettable experience. Don’t be intimidated by the effort and time needed to cook this recipe; the reward is well worth the wait. So let’s get started!
Ingredients Pulled Pork
5 lbs. bone-in pork shoulder
2 onions
2 jalapenos
5 garlic cloves
1 orange, freshly squeezed
1 lime, freshly squeezed
1 cup orange juice
Ingredients Rub for the Mexican Pulled Pork
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
First, rinse and dry the pork shoulder. Then, while positioning the pork shoulder on its lengthwise side, slide a sharp knife under the edge of its skin. Cut along the length of the pork shoulder, pulling the skin away as you go. Next, combine the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl and rub it all over the pork shoulder. Place the pork shoulder in a large baking pan with the fat cap up. Chop the 2 onions, the 2 jalapenos and the 5 garlic gloves and spread evenly over the pork shoulder. Squeeze the orange and the lime juice over the pork shoulder and add the cup of orange juice to the baking pan. The acidity in orange juice helps to tenderize the pork meat and keeps the pork meat moist and juicy, preventing it from drying out during the cooking process.
Insert a thermometer probe into the center of the thickest part of the pork shoulder, but not too close to the bone. Note, the bone temperature may differ from the meat temperature. Cover the pork shoulder with aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven for 4 to 6 hours. Maintain the oven temperature at 325°F for consistent cooking. Cook the pork slowly until it reaches an internal meat temperature of around 202°F to 208°F. This is the ideal temperature range for your pork shoulder: Juicy, tender, and incredibly delicious!
As the pork roasts in the oven, let’s prepare the ingredients for the tacos.
Pickled Red Onions
1 small red onion
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
1/4 cup granulated cane sugar
1/4 cup filtered water
Add the 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, the 3 tbsp sherry vinegar, the 1/4 cup granulated cane sugar and the 1/4 cup filtered water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature and simmer for about 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a plastic bowl over the thinly sliced red onions. Cover the bowl and let the red onions marinate for at least 3 hours. Before using the red onions to plate the tacos, drain them well.
Mexican Slaw
3 cups red cabbage - shredded or finely sliced
2 carrots - shredded or finely sliced
2 limes, freshly squeezed
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1 tsp dried chili flakes
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup creme fraiche
In a large bowl, combine the 3 cups shredded red cabbage and the 2 shredded carrots. Add the juice of 1 freshly squeezed lime and the sea salt. Mix thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a large colander, placing a plate beneath it. Allow it to sit for 1.5 hours, letting the juices drain. Transfer the drained mixture back into the bowl and add the 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, the 1 tsp dried chili flakes and the 2 tbsp fresh cilantro. In a different bowl, mix together the 1/4 cup mayonnaise, the 1/2 cup creme fraiche, and the remaining freshly squeezed lime juice. Add the mixture to the cabbage and stir well. Cover the Mexican slaw and keep it refrigerated until used for plating the pulled pork tacos.
Salsa Verde
1 lime, freshly squeezed
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup fresh cilantro
2 garlic gloves
1 jalapeno
1 ripe avocado
3 fresh tomatillos, cut into small pieces
Add all ingredients, except the avocado and the tomatillos, to a blender and blend well. Add the avocado and the tomatillos to the blender and pulse until you have a nice chunky salsa verde. As soon as the salsa verde is prepared, place it in a container, cover it, and refrigerate until used for plating the pulled pork tacos.
Plate the Pulled Pork Tacos:
Medium size tortillas
Romaine lettuce - shredded
Mexican slaw
Slow cooked pulled pork
Pickled onions
Salsa verde
Cilantro garnish
Tequila marinated raisins (marinate 2 tbsp dried raisins in Tequila Reposado of your choice for about 30 minutes)
By now the pork shoulder should be ready and the meat temperature should be around 208°F. Take the pork shoulder out of the oven. Remove the aluminum foil and temporarily transfer the pork shoulder out of the baking pan. Drain the pork sauce through a strainer into a small saucepan. Put the pork shoulder back in the baking pan and remove the bone. Shred the pork using two forks.
Adjust the oven temperature to 400°F and heat up the tortillas. Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan, add one cup of the pork shoulder sauce and add pulled pork to the sauce pan. Make sure the pork absorbs the sauce. Keep the pulled pork warm until serving.
Now it’s time to assemble your tacos. It is tempting to stuff each tortilla with as much toppings as possible, but always consider proportion. You want to taste all the components and flavors in each bite. This is very difficult if you can barely fold the tortilla over the mass of fillings and toppings.
Take the tortillas out of the oven and lay the tortillas on a plate. Start with a layer of romaine lettuce in the center of the tortilla and spread 2 tbsp Mexican slaw on top. After the Mexican slaw, add a layer of pulled pork and spread the pork nice and evenly on top of the slaw. Remember, don’t use too much of any topping. It needs to be a balance of all flavors in every bite. Top the tacos with the pickled onions, salsa verde, and add the tequila marinated raisins and cilantro garnish.
It’s time to appreciate your effort and hard work that went into the delicious and amazing Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos! I’m sure you and your guests will love them!
Enjoy!
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