Pork Verde Tacos

Slow cook pork roast in a zesty sauce for a perfectly tender and juicy taco filling. Top with a bit of creamy jalapeno sauce, cabbage, and cheese, if you like.

Pork Verde Tacos
Photo: Peter Krumhardt
Prep Time:
40 mins
Cook Time:
10 hrs
Total Time:
10 hrs 40 mins
Servings:
10

Ingredients

  • 4 pound boneless pork shoulder roast

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 3 stalks celery, cut up

  • 1 medium onion, cut up

  • ½ cup water

  • 1 fresh jalapeño chile peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut up*

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 3 bay leaves

  • 1 16 ounce jar green salsa

  • 1 recipe Jalapeño Sauce (optional)

  • Corn tortillas or Homemade Taco Shells

  • Shredded cabbage, shredded cheese, and/or lime wedges (optional)

Jalapeño Sauce

  • 1 cup mayonnaise

  • ½ cup snipped fresh cilantro

  • 1 fresh jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon water

  • 1 small clove garlic, minced

  • ¾ teaspoon salt

  • ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Trim fat from meat. In a large skillet brown meat on all sides in hot oil. Place meat in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.

  2. In a food processor or blender combine celery, onion, the water, chile peppers, garlic, salt, chili powder, cumin, crushed red pepper, oregano, and black pepper. Cover and process or blend until almost smooth. Pour over meat in cooker. Add bay leaves.

  3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours. Remove meat from cooker; discard bay leaves and cooking liquid. Using two forks, pull meat apart into shreds. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Return shredded meat to cooker; stir in green salsa. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more.

  4. Serve with Jalapeño Sauce, corn tortillas, and, if desired, cabbage, cheese, and/or lime wedges.

Jalapeño Sauce

  1. In a medium bowl stir together mayonnaise, cilantro, chile pepper, vinegar, the water, garlic, salt, and black pepper.

Homemade Taco Shells:

In a large saucepan heat 1 inch of vegetable oil to 365°F. Fry corn tortillas in hot oil for 2 minutes or until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

*

Because chile peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with them as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the peppers, wash your hands and nails well with soap and warm water.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

492 Calories
30g Fat
17g Carbs
37g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 10
Calories 492
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 30g 38%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 117mg 39%
Sodium 822mg 36%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 37g
Vitamin C 13mg 65%
Calcium 70.7mg 5%
Iron 3.4mg 19%
Potassium 754mg 16%
Folate, total 16.1mcg
Vitamin B-12 1.8mcg
Vitamin B-6 1.2mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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