Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Avocado

I was in the mood for some spicy Mexican food for dinner so I  made this easy spicy shredded pork tacos with avocado recipe. I picked up a pork shoulder and cooked it low-and-slow all afternoon long and my house smelled so incredible!!! The pork turned out spicy, flavorful, and super tender. I wanted to keep our dinner healthy, so I made simple tacos with corn tortillas, shredded pork, cilantro, avocado slices, pepper jack cheese, and roasted tomatillo salsa on the side. These tacos were so tasty and I could have eaten several!

Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Avocado

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

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, and 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 it 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 over a gas flame or 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

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Course: Main

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 8

Author: Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Large Dutch oven
• Small skillet

Ingredients

Pork:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 lb pork shoulder trimmed of excess fat
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
• Garlic powder to taste
• ½ sweet yellow onion diced
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 ½ 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

Instructions

• 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, and 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 it 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 over a gas flame or in a dry small 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!

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