Pork Tacos Recipe

Prep and rub

Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Mix kosher salt, black pepper, brown sugar, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. Rub vegetable oil over the pork, then massage the dry spice rub all over the meat, pressing to adhere.

Sear (optional)

Heat a heavy ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add the pork and sear on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. This step adds flavor but can be skipped for a slower roast.

Roast low and slow

Add chopped chipotle in adobo and apple cider vinegar to the roasting pan, then pour in the stock until it comes about 1–2 cm up the side of the roast (do not submerge). Cover tightly with a lid or heavy foil and transfer to the oven. Roast for 3 to 4 hours, or until the pork is extremely tender and a fork slides in easily. Check once at halfway; if liquid is low, add a little more stock or water.

Shred and finish

Remove pork from oven and let rest covered for 15 minutes. Using two forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding large pieces of fat. Skim and reserve pan juices. If you want moist, flavorful pork, return shredded pork to the pan with 120 ml of the reserved juices, stir, and warm on stovetop over low heat for 5–7 minutes to absorb flavors. Adjust salt to taste.

In a medium bowl combine the diced pineapple, red onion, minced jalapeño, chopped cilantro, lime juice, salt, and black pepper. Stir gently to combine. Taste and adjust lime and salt as needed. Let the pico sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes to meld flavors, or refrigerate up to 2 hours.

In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, adobo sauce, minced chipotle, lime juice, honey, and salt until smooth. Taste and adjust heat or acidity by adding more adobo or lime as desired. Chill until ready to use (at least 10 minutes) so flavors marry.

Warm the corn tortillas: stack and wrap in a damp clean kitchen towel and microwave for 30–60 seconds, or warm individually in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side until pliable and slightly toasted.

Build each taco: place about 75 g (roughly 1/4 to 1/3 cup) of the shredded pork in the center of a warmed tortilla. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of pineapple pico over the pork. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of chipotle aioli on top. Sprinkle with crumbled cotija and a few cilantro leaves. Add pickled red onion if using and finish with a squeeze of lime.

Serve immediately while warm. Leftover pork can be refrigerated up to 4 days and reheated gently with a splash of broth to keep moist.