Swap pizza night for taco night – a favourite around our house. Braised pork makes a flavourful alternative to the usual spiced ground beef; set it out family-style with taco shells or flour tortillas, grated cheese, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce – all the fixins you like on your tacos. It’s a perfect setup for a party, or dinner in front of a movie.Best of all, it makes enough pulled pork to serve a large crowd (party time!) or you can freeze the leftovers for another round of tacos, or add barbecue sauce and serve on soft buns with slaw.
Pulled Pork Tacos
1 – 2 to 3 lb pork rib roast or shoulder
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup apple juice or chicken stock
2-3 Tbsp. chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste
taco shells or flour tortillas
grated cheese
guacamole
salsa
sour cream
chopped tomatoes
shredded lettuce
Season pork roast on all sides with salt and pepper. Over medium-high heat in a heavy skillet, brown roast on all sides. Place onions into the insert of a slow cooker or in a heavy ovenproof pot; top with browned roast.
De-glaze skillet with the apple juice, scraping up any bits stuck to pan. Pour liquid over roast in the slow cooker or pot. Cover; cook on low for 8 hours in the slow cooker or in a 300F oven for 3 1/2 hours, until the meat is very tender.
Shred the meat with 2 forks until it is completely pulled apart, discarding any chunks of fat you come across, and adjust the seasoning, adding more chili powder if you like, and some salt and pepper.
Serve buffet-style with taco shells or tortillas and all the fixins. Makes enough meat to serve at least 10; perfect for a large crowd, or you’ll have leftovers.