Erin Powell's Notes:
Expand2 pounds boneless pork roast Ask a question about this ingredient
3 tablespoons kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon ground black pepper Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon granulated garlic Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon onion powder Ask a question about this ingredient
2 limes, zested Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons oil Ask a question about this ingredient
Combine all dry ingredients and the lime zest.
Ask a question about this stepRub on the pork roast to coat evenly, you may not use all of the mixture.
Ask a question about this stepHeat a nonstick crock pot insert or a saute pan with the oil.
Ask a question about this stepOnce the oil is hot, sear all sides of the pork roast.
Ask a question about this stepOnce the meat is seared, cover entirely with water (if using a saute pan, transfer to crock pot first). Place in insert in crock pot and cover.
Ask a question about this stepCook on high heat for 6 hours in the crock pot.
Ask a question about this stepOnce the meat is done, transfer to a 9" x 13" pan and shred with a pair of tongs.
Ask a question about this stepSpoon some liquid from the crock pot over the shredded meat to keep juicy. Cover until use.
Ask a question about this step3 tablespoons fresh lime juice Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons olive oil Ask a question about this ingredient
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger Ask a question about this ingredient
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper Ask a question about this ingredient
8 ounces raw cole slaw mix (or make your own) Ask a question about this ingredient
In a medium bowl, mix everything together but the cabbage and the corn tortillas.
Ask a question about this stepAdd the cabbage and coat well.
Ask a question about this stepWarm the corn tortillas and fill with pulled pork and slaw. Garnish with a lime spritz, jalapenos or green onions.
Ask a question about this stepI made the dish today as the recipe called for. My wife and i enjoyed it, especially the slaw. The pork needs more umph. Maybe chili powder. I like the idea of real onions. Or maybe mix the slaw and pork together before putting it in the taco. It wouldn't look as good, but the lime and refreshing taste of the slaw would blend the taste and texture better. I had the burning-searing problem also. I will marinate it longer and use an oil with a higher burn-point next time. Might help.
I made the slaw to go with beef tacos on Superbowl Sunday and added shredded jicama to a pre-packaged broccoli slaw mix. The dressing is perfect! Not too vinegary and not too tangy. All my guests loved it.
Loved the slaw and using the crock pot for this was an added bonus! I did also find the rub burned when searing.
I had the same experience as Student Epicure did. with the searing/burning of the spice mixture. I wondered if that was because I did not allow them to sit on the roast for long enough. I actually did "sear" all sides, but found that the rub had created a crust, so the meat wasn't actually seared anyway. And I also found that the pepper, onions and garlic overwhelmed the lime zest in the pork roast. I used a Malabar pepper, which is bold and assertive, so that may have been partly to blame. Also, I did not have either "onion powder" or "garlic granules," but did have some dried minced onion that I bought for another recipe, and some "minced garlic" that Penzey's sent as a freebie when I ordered something from them. I ground those up in my spice grinder with the pepper and it seemed to do the trick nicely. I had a lot more of the rub than I thought necessary, so I only used about 2/3 of that which I made. No problem there, though, as it seems to be a nice combination, and of course, it will hold, so I'll use it for something else. I'll probably add more lime zest though. As for the cooking time, I got a late start this morning, so my roast didn't get into the crock pot until about 9:30. I poured hot water from my tea kettle into the crock pot, which I'd preheated while preparing the rub, searing the meat, etc. I was concerned that with the hot water, the roast would cook too fast. I checked the roast after 3 hours on high and it seemed to be making great progress. I turned it down to "Low" and cooked it for another three hours, at which point it seemed absolutely perfect: moist, pull-apart tender, and delightfully fragrant. And it tastes great, too. Plan to make the slaw using carrot, napa cabbage and cucumber. ;o)
I made this for dinner last night. To preface, the meat turned out delicious -- very tender and well seasoned. However, I had a lot of trouble searing it because the zest, garlic, and onion powder started to burn before I could. I decided to not finish searing it, so as to prevent burning. The citrus really came through more in the slaw than in the meat itself -- I'm wondering if it would work to add more citrus juice to cook the meat to imbue it with more citrus flavor? Overall, I enjoyed this!
Plan on trying this with some tenderloin if I can't find pork roast - I live in Nigeria where pork isn't big. It looks wonderful. And looking forward to the slaw
I don't have a crock pot - suggestions for alternative cooking methods?
I have been on the hunt for an alternative to the sweet bbq sauce & honey pulled pork variety. I definitely will try this. thanks!
@ hardlikearmour... thank you! I thought I had entered the contest, whew, thanks for looking out!
I'm a huge pulled pork lover, and your citrus twist sounds delicious. Make sure to enter it in the contest right away!!!
Peter works for food52 and thinks up ways to make the website better.
BEST CARNITAS EVER!!!!!!
and it's easy besides. I'm adding this to the recipe file for sure!