Taco Tuesday with Citrus Marinated Pork

Happy Taco Tuesday, friends!  If you love tacos, I’ve got a great recipe for you to try out!  This recipe actually comes from my friends Bob and Peg, extraordinary entertainers and cooks.  I’m not sure if they created this recipe or found it elsewhere but for purposes of this post, I’ll give credit to them as they introduced me to it!

It’s a super-easy, slow cooker meal and, with a larger roast, great for a big party.

Citrus Marinated Pork

• 1/2 cup lime juice (used about 5 small limes)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup grapefruit juice (1 grapefruit is plenty)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 3-lb boneless pork shoulder roast
• 1 cup sliced onion

For marinade, combine first nine ingredients in a small bowl.

Trim fat from meat, pierce with fork in several places.

Place pork in a large plastic bag and cover with marinade.  Refrigerate 6-24 hours, turning occasionally.

Place sliced onion in a large slow cooker and top with meat and marinade mixture.  Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.

Transfer meat to a cutting board and cool slightly.  Skim fat from juices and keep warm.  Remove and discard bay leaves.  Use two forks to shred the meat then transfer to a serving dish.  With a slotted spoon, remove onions from juices and transfer to the serving dish.  Serve meat and onions in tortillas with a bit of the hot juices and Pico de Gallo (recipe below).  Note: I also served with lettuce slices, avocado and a mixture of Chihuahua and Cotija cheese.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Pico de Gallo Recipe

In a medium bowl, combine 2 peeled and chopped medium size tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of finely chopped red onion, 2 tablespoons of snipped fresh cilantro, 1 teaspoon lime juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt and a dash of sugar.  Mix well.  Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Makes about 1-1/4 cups.

Side Dishes

For side dishes, I made a Mexican Cole Slaw using this recipe and served pineapple spears.  Dessert was Dulce de Leche ice cream (Häagen-Dazs makes one) with fudge sauce.  Keeping in full theme, we had stuffed poblano peppers (pre-made/store bought) and Trader Joe’s chili-lime cashews for apps.

Enjoy!

Linking up today with Northwest Mountain Living!