Gabe's Famous Pulled Pork Tacos
My boyfriends recipe for pulled pork tacos, one that he's been working on and perfecting for years, and gets rave reviews every time he makes it.
Equipment
- Pressure cooker (optional)
Ingredients
- 5-6 lb pork loin, roast, or shoulder/butt (skin and fat trimmed off)
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 4 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 + 1/2 tbsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 + 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp adobo seasoning
- 3 tbsp oregano (Mexican, if you can find it)
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- 5 cinnamon sticks
- 6 bay leaves
- 1 + 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 8-10 whole garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (save one of the juiced limes to throw right in the pot)
- 1 7oz can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 15oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 whole onion, peeled and cut in half
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 cup beer (Mexican lager)
- 1 cup fresh orange juice (save one of the juiced oranges to throw right into the pot)
- 1/2 cup oil
For serving
- cheese
- guacamole
- pico de gallo
- tortillas or hard taco shells
Instructions
- If using a pressure cooker, place all of the above into it. Make sure the meat and seasonings are submerged in the liquid. Close the lid, make sure the pressure valve is sealed. Set the timer of the pressure cooker to 45 minutes (avoid the pre sets), and allow it to build pressure on its own. After the 45 minutes on the cooking timer are done (it will take longer than 45 minutes because the unit has to build internal pressure), carefully move the pressure valve to release pressure.
- If using a Dutch oven, preheat the oven to 300. Place all the ingredients in, again making sure everything is submerged, and bake until pork is tender and can be shredded with a fork, about 4 hours.
- Once the pork is cooked, allow it to cool, about 10 minutes. With a pair of tongs, carefully begin to take out the large chunks of the tender pork and put in a large bowl. Strain all of the solids from the liquid through a fine mesh strainer, resulting in a consommé.
- Using two large forks, start to shred the pork in the bowl, taking the time to make sure you break it all down. Spoon several ladles full of the consommé onto the pork, to moisten and flavor. Serve the consommé on the side if desired, but make sure there’s enough mixed into the pork for maximum flavor and tenderness.
- Serve the pork on corn tortillas or hard taco shells and top with your favorite taco toppings.