Beer-Braised Pork Tacos
10-12
servings
Main
Course
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredients
8 lb
bone-in pork shoulder
Kosher salt
1 tbsp
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp
olive oil
1 c
lard
3 sm
onions: 1 large-diced, 2 minced
2
garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tsp
coriander seeds, toasted and ground
½ tsp
ground cinnamon
3 tbsp
freshly squeezed lime juice
1
(6.5-ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1
(12-ounce) can of simple beer
Canola oil
24
white corn tortillas
2 c
crumbled Cotija cheese
4
limes, cut into wedges
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
6-8
tomatillos, coarsely chopped (2 cups)
1 sm
sweet onion, large-diced
1 c
fresh cilantro stems and leaves (packed)
2 tbsp
freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp
ground cumin
1 ½ tbsp
thinly sliced seeded serrano chiles
1 tbsp
extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
This is one of those dishes that will feed a lot of drunk (or sober) people really well. It is easy and redeeming. Feel free to garnish the tacos further as you wish, maybe with avocado, lime, some Cotija cheese, and charred scallions.
Directions
- Preheat a large slow cooker on the low setting for at least 20 minutes.
- Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and season it very well all over with salt and the pepper. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, and when the oil is shimmering, add the pork shoulder and sear it for 5 minutes per side, until golden. Transfer the pork to the slow cooker.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the lard to the skillet. Once it has melted, add the large-diced onion and the garlic; cook for 5 minutes, until softening. Add this to the slow cooker, along with the coriander, cinnamon, lime juice, chipotle in adobo, and the beer. Cover with the lid and cook on the low setting for 12 hours while you drink the remaining cans of beer that came in your six-pack.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add a touch of canola oil. Griddle the tortillas, one or two at a time, for a few seconds per side until warmed through and toasty. As you process through the tortillas, stack and place them in a resealable plastic bag to stay warm.
- Put the braised pork in a serving vessel and serve with the warm tortillas, minced onion, Cotija, lime wedges, and Tomatillo Salsa Verde, plus any other toppings you love on a taco.
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
- Combine the tomatillos, onion, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, chiles, and olive oil in a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt to taste. This can be prepared ahead of time, and will keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Reprinted with permission from The Chef and the Slow Cooker, copyright © 2017 by Hugh Acheson, published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
