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A person squeezing lime juice over an open pulled pork taco.
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5 / 2 votes

Pulled Pork Tacos

These pulled pork tacos with apple-serrano slaw are made with shredded pork cooked with a blend of Indian spices. Taco Tuesday just got a whole heck of a lot more interesting.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time3 hours 15 minutes
Total Time1 day 3 hours 30 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1011

Ingredients

For the pulled pork

  • 3 pounds boneless pork butt
  • 1 medium (about 10 oz) onion, peeled and quartered
  • 2 cups dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup jaggery or light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons amchur (mango powder)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Seeds from 10 green cardamom pods, crushed
  • 1 star anise pod
  • One (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled

For the apple and serrano slaw

  • 2 large (about 8 oz) Granny Smith apples
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
  • 1 serrano chile, seeded, if desired, and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For assembling the tacos

  • 8 to 12 corn or flour tortillas
  • 1 or 2 limes, quartered, for serving
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the pulled pork

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  • Pat the pork dry and place it in a Dutch oven. Combine the remaining ingredients in a blender and blend at high speed until smooth. Pour over the pork.
  • Cover the lid of the Dutch oven with 2 to 3 sheets of aluminum foil, pressing and folding the edges tightly to create a seal. Place the lid on the Dutch oven.
  • Cook the pork in the oven until tender and falling apart, about 3 hours. Remove from the oven and let it cool, with the lid on, for 1 to 2 hours. Uncover and let cool completely.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: If your pork roast is larger than 3 pounds, you may need to increase your cooking time. You’ll also want to occasionally check on it and, if the Dutch oven starts to look dry, add a little water partway through cooking.

  • Skim the fat from the surface of the cooled liquid. Discard the fat (but not by pouring it down the kitchen drain!).
  • Use 2 forks to gently shred the pork and return it to the Dutch oven. Toss to coat with the cooking liquid, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use, preferably overnight.

Make the apple and serrano slaw

  • Core, peel, and grate the apples. Squeeze the grated apples to remove any excess liquid, and transfer the grated apples to a medium bowl.
  • Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, and taste to adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Assemble the tacos

  • Place the Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Warm the tortillas in a hot skillet or by using tongs to hold them directly over a gas flame.
  • To serve, place 2 generous tablespoons of pulled pork on each warm tortilla and add 1 tablespoon of the slaw. Serve with the limes for squeezing over the tacos.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 1011kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 73g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 204mg | Sodium: 1233mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 32g