Braised Pulled Pork Tacos

Moist and tender pork shoulder roast is braised in a rich and sweet tomato-based sauce with white wine, and brown sugar. The secret to these absolutely delicious Braised Pulled Pork Tacos is allowing the meat to cook slowly over low heat in a covered pan for multiple hours. Braising cannot be rushed and patience is greatly rewarded with just one bite of this deliciously savoury taco!

When I was married, my ex-wife used to make pulled pork really well.  She was a slow cooker genius – something I’ve never really mastered, to be honest! I have a few slow cooker recipes, but not many. I feel like there’s just something not right about letting the food cook for hours and hours at a very low temperature.  Is that just me?  I’m certainly working on getting over that because a slow cooker certainly does have its uses! But, this recipe does not require a slow cooker, so let’s move on.

A few years ago, I got the craving one Sunday afternoon for pulled pork.  Yes, I remember it well because John.e and I decided to go for a walk and we ended up dropping into a grocery store on our way back home. At the deli/prepared foods counter, there was pulled pork.  I decided to buy some and I’m so glad I did! It was delicious! 

I remember eating it just as it was – straight out of the container – with no bun, no coleslaw, etc., which seems to be the common pairing with pulled pork.  While I was shoveling the pork into my mouth, John.e commented on how good it smelled.  I made it my mission to find a way he could have a vegetarian version. I’m telling you all of this just to let you know that I also have a vegetarian pulled pork option if you would prefer that instead.

Today though, I’m going to share my Braised Pulled Pork Tacos recipe with you. It’s very different, in almost every way, from the vegetarian version I shared with you so many years ago. It’s that slow braising that makes the pork super tender. And, the combination of brown sugar, white wine, tomato paste, and dried thyme is just magical, because it transforms a humble pork shoulder into the most delicious pork dish I’ve ever eaten. You simply have to try this!

SOURCING ORGANIC, FREE-RANGE PORK SHOULDER

In Ontario, organic, free-range pork shoulder roast can be sourced from Ottawa Valley Meats. If you have been reading my blog for a while now, you might have read about OVM before. I use them for almost all of my meat-based recipes. The price is always good (they have great sales!) and I’m never disappointed with the selection. Plus, they deliver it right to my front door!

As for the pork from OVM, their website proudly states that they work with farms that only produce the cleanest, healthiest and ethically-raised local meats. Once cut, the meat is quickly flash-frozen and vacuum-packed to lock in flavour and freshness. You can find Ottawa Valley Meats here!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare these Braised Pulled Pork Tacos. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

For the Pork:

• Olive Oil – I always use extra virgin light olive oil so that the flavour is muted.  Olive oil has a high heat tolerance, so it’s perfect for browning.
• Pork Shoulder Roast – You will need three pounds. Sometimes, a pork shoulder roast is called picnic shoulder or picnic roast.
• Salt & Ground Black Pepper
• Onion – I use yellow, white, and sweet onions interchangeably.  Either of them will do just fine.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic will result in the best flavour every single time. 
• Ketchup – The addition of ketchup adds sweetness and acidity to the sauce.
• White Wine – This adds complexity and flavour. If you want an alcohol-free version, just substitute the white wine with water.
• Water
• Bouillon Cubes – These intensify the meaty flavour.
• Dried Thyme – The thyme adds what I call homemade flavour!
• Brown Sugar – This will enrich, sweeten, and thicken the sauce.
• Tomato Paste – In addition to the ketchup, the paste will balance out the flavours and make the sauce more savoury.

For Taco Assembly:

• Green Cabbage – Shred the cabbage with a vegetable peeler to get those long thin strands.
• Red Cabbage – Shredded as well, this adds colour and contrast.
• Carrots – Thinly sliced and the julienned carrots are added for crunch and sweetness.
• Green Onions – These add freshness and brightness to the tacos.
• Jalapenos – I like to slice jalapenos and place them onto the top of the tacos. I also like to dice some up finely and mix them in with the cabbage mixture. The jalapenos are completely optional if you don’t care for spicy food.
• Limes – You will use freshly squeezed lime juice in the cabbage mixture. The tanginess contradicts the sweetness so well.
• Sour Cream – The coolness and smoothness of the sour cream is just perfection and I can’t imagine tacos without it!
• Tortillas – You can use your favourite tortillas – either flour or corn tortillas will work well.

HAVE A DUTCH OVEN? USE IT!

A proper Dutch oven is the perfect cooking vessel to get these Braised Pulled Pork Tacos just right. I have several to choose from. But, that’s because I have purchased them over the years and not all at once. And, because I cook and bake all the time. Dutch ovens are a huge investment, but they are very much worth it if you use them often enough. For this particular recipe, I used my 6.7 litre round Le Creuset. You can most certainly use a smaller or similar-sized pot, depending on how many shanks you are preparing.

You most certainly can use an oval Dutch oven if that’s what you have! And, it does not need to be a Le Creuset brand either! In fact, I have a cheaper version that I often use. It’s a Pioneer Woman brand. I think I paid less than $50 for it! Essentially, if you have a cast iron pot with a heavy cast iron lid, then it will work perfectly as well. The key is to keep the heat and liquid in the pot, which will ensure that the pork cooks properly.

HOW TO MAKE BRAISED PULLED PORK TACOS

Step 1: Searing and making the Sauce

Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and season each side with salt and pepper. Over medium-high heat, add the olive oil to your Dutch oven and place the pork shoulder into the pot. Sear for 2-3 minutes and turn over each piece to sear for another 2-3 minutes. Once done, remove the meat from the pot and set aside.

Next, add the onion to the pot and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the onion is cooked through. Add the garlic, stir into the onions, and cook for another 2 minutes. Next, add the water, white wine (or more water if you want an alcohol-free version,) ketchup, bouillon cubes, dried thyme, brown sugar, and tomato paste. Whisk until well combined.

Step 2: Braising the Meat

Use tongs to add the pork shoulder back to the pot. Be sure to nestle it into the sauce so that it is touching the bottom of the pot. The sauce should be rising up the sides of the meat. Place a lid on the pot and reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for 2 hours, checking every 30 minutes to see if the liquid has not evaporated too much. The sauce will reduce and thicken, but should never be lower than 1.5 inches in the pot. If the liquid evaporates too much, add water.

Step 3: Ready the Toppings

While the pork is braising, you can get your toppings ready. I’ve listed the ingredients that I use for the coleslaw or salad – whatever you want to call it – but, if you are pressed for time, you can easily purchase a bag of coleslaw mix. Either way, get the green and red cabbage into a bowl with the carrots and green onions. If you are adding in diced jalapenos, add those in now too.

Some people like to make an actual coleslaw for their tacos with mayonnaise and seasonings. For this Braised Pulled Pork Taco, I like to keep it clean and simple. I add one tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice to the bowl with the cabbage and toss it well until all of the ingredients are well combined. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to build your tacos.

Step 4: Cooking the Sauce

Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the pot and set it aside. At this point, the pork will be very tender and likely fall apart. That’s quite alright since it’s going to be shredded anyway. Just get all of the pork out of the sauce and onto a cutting board. Set it aside while you turn your attention back to the sauce.

While the pork rests, place your Dutch oven on a burner and turn the heat to medium-high. Stir the sauce and allow it to come to a boil. We don’t want to thicken the sauce, so there’s no need to add any thickening agent such as cornstarch. However, we do want to reduce the sauce. By boiling the sauce, the water content is cooked off and the sauce reduces. This means that the flavour of the sauce will be more concentrated, but it will still be loose enough for the meat to soak up. The sauce should be boiled for 8-10 minutes.

While keeping an eye on the sauce and stirring often, turn your attention to the pork. Using two forks, shred the pork so that you are left with long strands of meat. I like to do this quickly rather than shred the hell out of it. Personally, I think the shredded pork left on the chunky side makes for a better bite! Once it has been shredded to your liking, add the pork back into the pot with the sauce. Turn off the heat and stir the pork until every shred is drenched in sauce. Cover the pot and let it rest for five minutes.

Step 5: Assembling the Tacos

Are you ready for this? Just writing this recipe up is making me hungry all over again! Let’s build these tacos so that you can get a big bite! Lay your tortillas down and spread a layer of the cabbage mixture down the center of each tortilla. The cabbage mixture will keep the tortilla from getting soggy and it will also trap all of that juice inside!

If you want to add cheese, do it now. I don’t like cheese on a pulled pork taco, because I want to taste the pork and not muddle it too much with too many other ingredients. Next, use tongs to pile on the pulled pork – as much as you want! Top that with any garnish you would like to use. Note that I used more chopped green onions and sliced jalapenos. Next, drizzle over the sour cream, spritz a lime wedge over it, and enjoy! Isn’t it delicious!!??

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

I love to serve Braised Pulled Pork on a taco or on a bun.  Because pulled pork should be messy, and by that, I mean dripping with sauce, the bun is a great vessel for keeping that sauce where it belongs – on its way to your mouth!  A tortilla does the exact same thing. But, never fear, because if pulled pork is done right, it should be sweet and spicy, and dripping down your hands and over your chin!  I tend to shy away from creamy coleslaw in favour of a mixture of fresh veggies, but from time to time, I like homemade coleslaw with my pulled pork too.

Here’s my go-to coleslaw recipe. But, if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, you can try my jalapeno coleslaw, which would add some heat to your pulled pork taco. Now, a taco (or three!) is never enough for me, so I would consider serving these tacos with a potato salad or my paprika and parmesan potato wedges! It just makes for a heartier meal.

Of course, the coleslaw also adds a little crunch factor and helps to increase the girth of the taco – all good things, really!  I like to serve pulled pork – vegetarian or otherwise – with enough coleslaw to use as a side as well.  Also, baked beans are really good as a side.  And, since you’re already going to be eating well, why not add some kettle chips?  I have to end this here because I’m getting hungry all over again!