PULLED PORK TACOS WITH A GUAJILLO
CHILLI SALSA AND PINEAPPLE
These tacos are full of flavour - with the slow-cooked pork, then the freshness of the salsa, sweetness from the pineapple, acidy from the lime…It’s all there! What I like to do is set everything out on the table in bowls and dishes and have everyone dig in for a BYO (build your own) taco night! For a faster version, use a free-range rotisserie chicken in place of the pork. Remove skin and shred. Goes just as well with chicken. And the Guajillo chills aren’t too hot, they have more of a sweet flavour with a warm heat – perfect if you’re like me, cooking for kids also. But the addition of the fresh chillies gives it a bit of punch. I make the salsa, take out a portion for the kids and then add hot sauce to taste to give it the extra kick we like. If you cant find Guajillos, I've made this salsa before with tinned chipotles in adobo too, but they are much hotter.
Makes approx. 20 tacos, each person would need 3-4 each.
For the pork
2kg free-range pork shoulder, bone-in or leg or pork roast works well too. But I prefer bone-in for more flavour.
A little oil
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt and pepper
For the guajillo chilli salsa
4 dried guajillo chillis
2 fresh long red chills, stalks copped off, seeds in
1x 400g can tomatoes
1 red onion
5 cloves garlic
Coriander stalks from 1 bunch
1 teaspoon salt
1 heaped teaspoon brown sugar
½ cup of water
(Hot sauce to taste at the end)
To serve
2 x 12 packs of corn tortillas
1 fresh pineapple, skin and core removed, diced
1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
+ extra limes to serve
1 small red onion, finely sliced into half-moons
100g feta (similar texture to Mexican cheese, Cotija)
Punnet of rocket microgreens
2 avocado, diced
Hot sauce of your choice - my fav at the mo is the jalapeño one from Lucky Taco
METHOD
For the pork
Rub the pork with a little oil. Mix all of the dry ingredients together and massage over the pork. Leave for at least 30 minutes - or, as I did, overnight in the fridge.
Preheat oven to 150°C. Cook the pork in a roasting tin with ½ cup water on the bottom, covered with tin foil. Roast for 3 - 4 hours OR until pork pulls away easily with a fork. Remove from roasting tin, rest on a board covered with foil for 10 minutes. Pull pork with two forks. Cover and keep warm
For the guajillo chilli salsa
Soak the dried chillies in boiling water for 15 minutes to rehydrate and soften them. Remove stalks and seeds and chop roughly. Blend the chillis and the rest of the ingredients together in a food processor until smooth. Pour into a large frying pan and reduce to intensify flavours for 15mins on medium heat. Season with salt to taste. Add hot sauce if you want more kick.
For the pineapple
Combine the pineapple, coriander, onion and 2 tablespoons of lime juice in a bowl.
To assemble
Warm the tortillas in a hot skillet, by first dipping them in water then pan-frying for 30 seconds on each side. Remove and keep warm in a tea towel (this will help hem get softer too, the warmth of being stacked up and wrapped)
Take a tortilla and spread it generously with the guajillo chilli salsa. Add some pork and then some pineapple mix on top. Followed by the avocado, feta and micro rocket. Extra hot sauce if you feel the need to be hardcore.