• Original Creations

    Beer Braised Pork Tacos

    January 13, 2019 /

    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.

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    Beer Braised Pork Tacos

    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 7 hours 50 minutes
    Total Time 8 hours
    Servings 6
    Author Sarah Goodlow

    Ingredients

    • 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

    1. 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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  • Original Creations

    BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders with Pickled Red Onions

    March 12, 2018 /

    Pulled pork is something we all love to eat, but seldom love to make. The main reason? Time. We never seem to have enough of it. 

    In order to get that perfect, “fall off the bone” consistency, you have to be patient.

    Between busy work schedules, running errands, and the many other obligations filling our schedules, it is more attainable to whip up a quick meal than to plan the day around what you’re serving for dinner..but what if we looked at it from a different angle? 

    While pulled pork does take time to cook, it is quite easy to prepare, and low maintenance. Once it goes into an oven or slow cooker, it’ll go for several hours with no attention necessary, but the real up-side of this particular item is that it truly is the dish that “keeps on giving.” Even a small pork shoulder will yield a sizable final product, which can be used for many different dishes throughout the week, thus- saving you time (and money) in the long run. 

    Although today’s post is focused on sliders in specific, there are several ways to repurpose the leftovers so you can be sure nothing goes to waste! Grilled cheeses, sandwiches, enchiladas, quesadillas, tacos, & flatbreads are just a handful of ways you can incorporate the pulled pork leftovers into yet another delicious meal. 

    So let’s get back to the sliders, shall we? These make for the perfect “small bite” hors d’oeuvres when having company over and I assure you they will smell them before they see them. The sweet and smoky BBQ pork will fill any room with a heavenly aroma and immediately get the taste buds tingling. Top the pork with a handful of tangy pickled red onions, serve on miniature hawaiian buns, and you’ve got yourself a delicious appetizer all of your guests (and you) will love!

    BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders with Pickled Red Onions
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    SLOW COOKER BBQ PORK
    1. 1 Pork Shoulder (Bone In, 3-5lbs)
    2. 1 Bottle of your Favorite BBQ Sauce
    3. 1 Cup Coca Cola or Dr. Pepper Soda
    4. 1/2 Cup Water (or more if needed to fully submerge the pork)
    DRY RUB FOR PORK
    1. 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
    2. 1 Tsp Kosher Salt
    3. 1 Tsp Course Ground Black Pepper
    4. 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
    5. 1 Tsp Onion Powder
    6. 2 Tsp Paprika
    PICKLED RED ONIONS
    1. Sliced Red Onion (1)
    2. 1 Tsp Kosher Salt
    3. 1/2 Tsp Whole Black Peppercorns
    4. 2 Tsp Granulated Sugar
    5. 1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
    6. 1/4 Cup Grenadine
    7. 1/2 Cup Water
    SLIDERS
    1. Miniature Kings Hawaiian Buns (12)
    2. Gherkin Pickles (for topping)
    3. Skewers (to assemble sliders)
    SLOW COOKER BBQ PORK
    1. Combine dry rub ingredients together well. Coat pork shoulder with dry rub on all sides and place into the slow cooker. To the slow cooker, add in BBQ sauce, cola, and water until the pork is covered completely. Set to low and cook for 9-12 hours until it reaches the desired tenderness. Remove bone(s) and any excess fat. Shred with a fork and toss back into cooking liquid to absorb the juices. Remove the pulled pork and drizzle with a bit more of the cooking liquid. Set aside.
    PICKLED RED ONIONS
    1. Add Apple Cider Vinegar, Grenadine, water, sugar, peppercorns, & salt to a small pot and bring to a boil. Add onions and cook for 1-2 minutes to soften. Remove from heat and pour directly into a tightly sealed container and refrigerate for several hours or overnight (stays good for several weeks in the refrigerator)
    SLIDERS
    1. Halve the slider buns and place bottoms onto serving platter. Top with the pulled pork and pickled red onions. Place the top half of the slider bun onto the onions and skewer the sandwich with the gherkin pickle. Serve room temperature.
    Notes
    1. For the pork, I find that "bone-in" pork shoulder, tends to work better than the boneless. It helps to tenderize the pork and further enhances the flavor.
    2. Some people like to remove excess fat before the cooking process, however, I find that it helps to maintain tenderness, adds flavor, and is easy to remove later, so I say..leave it!
    3. If you can not find Hawaiian buns, miniature brioche or potato rolls also work as good substitutes, although I find that the soft texture and buttery flavor of the Hawaiian buns work the best for this recipe.
    saristotle https://saristotle.com/

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