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Beer Braised Pork Tacos
I LOVE Spanish food. I could eat it everyday.
While admittedly I don’t cook it at home often, when I do have some extra time on my hands and leftover odds and ends in the house needing to be used up before spoiling, this is a go-to (and quite simple) recipe to throw together. And the best part? The Crock Pot does all the hard work.
This meal can feed an ARMY for under $12.00-$15.00, which is a great way to stretch a buck and can be a great healthy alternative for anyone sick of meal prepping the standard “grilled chicken and veggies” a week in advance while trying to be mindful of their calorie intake. This meal is light, fresh, AND good for you.
Authentic folks typically spice rub and sear their Pork shoulder on all sides, then braise in the oven on low heat for 4-6 hours, which is arguably the best way, but for those of you (like me) who appreciate only dirtying one pot at a time, the crock pot is a great alternative- and let’s face it- you can basically put a flip flop in a crock pot and it’ll come out fantastic.
This dish is so satisfying and delicious, you may just pass on Chipotle next time around and make your own “Carnitas” in the comfort of your own home, but for those of us who are crunched for time, a simple pan sauteed chicken, ground beef/turkey, or shrimp will do just fine as well.
Beer Braised Pork Tacos
Prep Time 10 minutesCook Time 7 hours 50 minutesTotal Time 8 hoursServings 6Ingredients
- 4 LB Pork Shoulder Bone In/Skin On
- 12 oz Can/Bottle of Beer Lager
- 16 oz Chicken Stock/Broth
- 16 oz Coca Cola
- 3 Piquillo Peppers From Jar
- 1 Small Yellow Onion
- 8 Cloves Fresh Garlic Smashed
- 1 Pablano Pepper Rough Chopped
- 6 Mini Red Potatoes Quartered
- 1 Packet Sazon Seasoning
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 1/2 TBSP Paprika
- 1/2 TSP Black Pepper
- 1/2 TSP Ground White Pepper
- 1 TSP Kosher Salt
- 1/2 TSP Onion Powder
- 1/2 TSP Garlic Powder
- 1/2 TSP Cumin
- 1/4 Bunch Fresh Cilantro
- 1 Pkg Corn or Flour Tortillas
Instructions
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Season pork shoulder on all sides with salt & coarse ground black pepper and place into crockpot.
In a mixing bowl, combine all dry spices and use a fork/spoon to combine.
Add the beer, cola, chicken stock, peppers, onions, garlic, potatoes, & cilantro and whisk together until well blended.
Pour mixture over the pork and turn heat to the “high” setting
Leave crockpot on high for the first 4 hours and for the remaining 3-4 hours, turn heat down to the “low” setting until fork tender.
Remove any excess fat, skin, and bone (which should slide off easily) and remove the pork to shred. Strain out the vegetables and reserve the remaining cooking liquid.
Add shredded pork into a serving dish and pour over some of the cooking liquid to enhance flavor and keep moist.
CORN TORTILLAS
Warm store-bought yellow Corn Tortillas through by dipping them in water and laying them onto a non-stick pan over high heat for about 45 seconds or so until they release and begin to char. Layer tortillas onto a kitchen towel, wrapping the towel around them to steam as you go.
Line taco shells with shredded pork and top off with pickled red onion, pico de gallo, queso blanco, fresh cilantro, and sliced jalapenos. Enjoy!
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Italian Style Sausage & Peppers
One Italian staple everyone should have a good recipe for is Sausage & Peppers. There are several ways to prepare this dish, but the typical differentiating factor is whether or not it’s being served in a tomato sauce. Most times, we tend to follow what has been prepared by family members over the years as a starting point.
For me, this preparation has been one I always resort back to when having having company over because it is SO easy and always a crowd pleaser. The best part (arguably) of this dish is how simple it is to prepare over other Sausage & Pepper recipes you may come across. The reason being is that this recipe is made entirely in one pan at the same time. The fact that it goes for two hours in the oven, requiring only an occasional stir truly makes this a “one-pot wonder.”
To put this together, you will simply only need a few bell peppers, onion, garlic, potatoes, sausage (casings removed), olive oil, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Toss together in a disposable aluminum pan and roast at 375 degrees for 2 hours (or until potatoes are fork-tender and sausage is a dark golden brown). Drain any excess oil from the bottom of the pan then serve on its own or on a fresh hoagie roll.
Italian Style Sausage & Peppers2018-05-13 17:53:39PrintIngredients- 12 Pork Sausages- Hot or Sweet (casings removed)
- 2 Green Bell Peppers
- 2 Red Bell Peppers
- 2 Yellow Onions
- 4-5 Russet Potatoes (skins removed)
- 3 Cloves of Garlic (whole)
- 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Garlic Powder, Salt & Course Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
Instructions- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Peel skin on potatoes and medium dice. Place into a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration while prepping the remaining ingredients.
- Slice bell peppers into strips (being careful to exclude any seeds and inner white membrane). Slice onions into evenly sized slices. Peel garlic, leaving whole and transfer all into a large mixing bowl.
- Remove casings on sausages and pull into 4 smaller pieces. Add to same mixing bowl with the vegetables.
- Coat with Olive Oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and toss mixture together until well- combined. Empty contents into a large aluminum (or whatever you have on hand) roasting pan and spread into an even layer.
- Stir every half hour for approximately two hours or until the sausage has become a deep golden brown and the potatoes are fully cooked.
- Drain any excess oil from the bottom of the pan.
- Serve on its own or with hoagie rolls.
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