Cooking to Live or Living to Cook: Pulled Pork Tacos
In Louisiana you can have an awesome cook sitting next to you and you’d never know. We were shooting a commercial at Fred’s on the river, flying our drone, watching boats launch and filming inside the bar. I met Dell that day and gave him a pork shoulder. I harvested a 60 pound pig two days before in Woodville. Well this is what he did with it.
Ingredients:
Meat:
- 1 medium pork shoulder
Brine:
- Kosher Salt
- Brown Sugar
Injector Liquid (all found in International Aisle of Supermarket):
- Mojo
- Sour Orange
- Adobo Sauce
Dry Rub:
- Sea Salt
- Brown Sugar
- Black Pepper
- Lemon Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper
- Granulated Garlic
- Granulated Onion
- Granulated Jalapeno
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Ground Mustard
- Turmeric
Plating:
- Tortillas (Corn or Flour)
- Mayo
- Adobo Sauce
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cabbage
- Tomatoes
- Onion (Chef’s Choice)
- Avocado
- Lime
- Cotija Cheese
Preparation:
Brine pork shoulder overnight in salt/brown sugar combo. Amount depends on size of shoulder and water required to cover, average 1 cup each. When ready rinse shoulder off and pat dry with paper towels. Inject with equal amounts of Mojo, Sour Orange and Adobo mixed together and strained (to avoid stopping up injector with seasoning).
Mix all dry rub ingredients together based each amount on spiciness or saltiness desired. Place shoulder on plastic wrap and apply rub liberally. I add cilantro, oregano and parsley from my garden before final wrap (optional) and let stand overnight. I remove fresh herbs before smoking.
Prep smoker (mine is electric) at 220 degrees and add some type of wood chip (I prefer mesquite), temperature may vary per smoker. Cook for four hours at 220 degrees and then kick temperature up to 275 degrees for the last two hours. This creates a bark on the outside to provide several layers of texture to the meat. In order for pork to pull easily internal temperature has to be 190 degrees, any less it will need to be cut, anymore and it could be dry.
While pork is resting prepare the toppings. Add a small amount of mayonnaise, adobo sauce, salt pepper and red wine vinegar to a bowl, while stirring add in a small amount of olive oil. Julienne cabbage, tomatoes and onions, add to bowl and coat with dressing. Slice avocado and top with lime juice and salt.
Prepare tortillas, pull pork and place in center of tortilla, add cabbage mix, then avocado then crumble Cotija Cheese on top and enjoy!
Recipe credit: Dell Oliver