Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos

Now that we have a little one, we eat out less and eat in more, and therefore truly appreciate those simple delicious recipes that never tire. Like this one for slow-cooker pulled pork tacos that I found on RealSimple.com. (The original recipe can be found here.) I love this recipe because it’s so easy to change. For example, use a different flavor salsa. Add onions. Add garlic. Use different spices. This is one of those “no-recipe recipes” that is very friendly to improvisation.

Ingredients

• 2 cups store-bought salsa, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 2 1/2-pound boneless pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat (we bought a 3 ½ lb piece)
• whole wheat tortillas
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

Combine the salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, and salt in slow cooker. Add the pork and turn to coat in the mixture. Cook until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours.

Once the pork is finished, heat the oven to 350° and warm the tortillas in foil. Meanwhile, shred the pork in the cooker using 2 forks. Serve in the tortillas with cilantro and lime wedges. We had ours topped with our awesome guacamole and Spanish rice on the side.

It was delicious, and leftovers made great pulled pork sloppy joes (on a toasted whole wheat bun with thickly sliced plum tomatoes). However next time, I think we’ll add a little cumin to the spice mix and try a different salsa – maybe green tomatillo or fruit salsa - instead of the standard red salsa to switch it up.