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Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Avocado

Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Avocado

I was in the mood for some spicy Mexican food for dinner. I picked up a pork shoulder and cooked it low and slow all afternoon long. My house smelled so incredible!!! The pork turned out spicy, flavorful, and super tender. I wanted to let the meat shine and keep the dinner healthy, so I made simple tacos with corn tortillas, shredded pork, cilantro, avocado slices, a bit of pepper jack cheese on top, and roasted tomatillo salsa on the side. These tacos were perfect! I seriously could have eaten a lot of them! I can’t wait to have the leftovers tonight.

Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Avocado

How to Make Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Avocado

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Heat some olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Simply season the pork shoulder all over with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder, to taste. Sear all sides of the pork shoulder for a few minutes, or until golden brown.

Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano, chili powder, and garlic then cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, chipotle pepper, molasses, apple cider vinegar. Stir until well combined, add the bay leaves, and cover with a lid. Place into the oven and cook for 2 hours. Remove the lid and flip the pork over. If it’s really thick, cut into thirds, and nestle the three portions down in the sauce. Place back into the oven and continue cooking for another 2 hours.

Remove from the oven and let it sit uncovered until cool. Remove the fatty pieces of the pork and throw them away. Shred the pork with two forks and coat evenly in the sauce.

Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Avocado

Cook both sides of the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 45-60 seconds. Place some pork down the center of the tortilla then sprinkle with cilantro, add avocado slices, and top with a bit of shredded pepper jack cheese. Serve with roasted tomatillo salsa on the side. Enjoy!

Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Avocado

 

 

Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Avocado

 

Yield: 8-12 

Total Time: 4 hours

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
4 lb pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp oregano
1 (15 oz) can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 chipotle pepper, diced + 1 tsp of sauce (more if desired),
2 tbsp molasses
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 bay leaves

Other Ingredients:

Corn tortillas
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Avocado slices
Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
Roasted tomatillo salsa

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Heat some olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Simply season the pork shoulder all over with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder, to taste. Sear all sides of the pork shoulder for a few minutes, or until golden brown.

Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano, chili powder, and garlic then cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, chipotle pepper, molasses, apple cider vinegar. Stir until well combined, add the bay leaves, and cover with a lid. Place into the oven and cook for 2 hours. Remove the lid and flip the pork over. If it’s really thick, cut into thirds, and nestle the three portions down in the sauce. Place back into the oven and continue cooking for another 2 hours.

Remove from the oven and let it sit uncovered until cool. Remove the fatty pieces of the pork and throw them away. Shred the pork with two forks and coat evenly in the sauce.

Cook both sides of the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 45-60 seconds. Place some pork down the center of the tortilla then sprinkle with cilantro, add avocado slices, and top with a bit of shredded pepper jack cheese. Serve with roasted tomatillo salsa on the side. Enjoy!

 

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Original recipe by Good Life Eats

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8 Comments

  1. I know I’m a dork for noticing but that is a very nice pork butt that you used. The front ridge with the parallel lines running through it is called “the money muscle” because that is what get’s you paid in BBQ. That is a nice, clean, well defined money muscle! Nice taco too, great food truck idea.

    1. Renee,

      Sorry for my late reply, I have been on the road for 13 days.

      I used 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder. Thanks for letting me know it was missing, I have corrected the recipe.

      Pam