Thai Pork Tacos
Prep Time: 8 hours for brining | Cook Time: 70 minutes in pressure cooker, 15 minutes for tacos | Stand Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 8 hours, 45 minutes | Serves: 8-10 | Special Equipment: Pressure cooker
This brings a new flavor to your usual “Taco Tuesday”! I used my Thai Shredded Pork and made yummy tacos. The addition of my Spicy Slaw brings crunch, spiciness, and a freshness to these Thai Pork Tacos.
It does take some planning and time to brine and cook the Thai pork, but it is worth it! Another plus to making this is that you have leftovers or enough to feed a small crowd. Because the pork is brined, reheating won’t dry out your pork.
I use a stovetop pressure cooker to cook my pork, and it turns out amazing every time. Brining imparts flavor and moisture and a pressure cooker keeps moisture in the meat, also. Talk about a win-win!
If you love Thai flavors, this may become a favorite. Panang curry paste, lemongrass, fish sauce, … just look at the ingredient list and you can imagine how delicious this willl be!
Choose the taco toppings of your choice. I have a small list of options below, but feel free to add your own toppings that you love.
I charred some of our tortillas before topping with the meat and veggies, but you don’t have to do that step.
Enjoy!
Thai Shredded Pork Tacos
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
Brine:
- 3 quarts water
- 3/4 cup kosher salt
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Sauce:
- 4- ounce Panang curry paste
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 12 Kaffir lime leaves
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil (Thai basil), chopped
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass, finely chopped or from a tube
- 1 1/4 cups beef broth, lower sodium
- 1 (5-7) pound Boston butt or pork shoulder, boneless
Finishing Sauce:
- 1/4 cup lemongrass, finely chopped or from a tube
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar, not seasoned
- 14 cup soy sauce, lower sodium
- 2-3 tablespoons garlic-chile paste
- 1-2 tablespoons fish sauce
Tacos:
- Flour or corn tortillas
- diced fresh tomatoes
- diced red onion
- cilantro
- lime wedges
- guacamole
Instructions
- Add all the brine ingredients to a large pitcher. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar.
- Add the brine and pork to a large sealable bag, like a jumbo-size Ziplock, and place in a bowl large enough to hold the bag. This is in case there is any leakage, it will not go all over your refrigerator. Refrigerate the brine and pork overnight, 8 to 12 hours.
- Pull the pork out of the bag and pick off any pieces of bay leaf, peppercorns, or garlic that are attached and discard.
- You have the option to brown your pork chunks if desired. Just add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to the pressure cooker over medium-high heat and sear the chunks of meat on all sides, remove, and set side.
- Cut the pork into 4 or 5 large chunks and set aside.
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a pressure cooker over medium heat, stirring to combine well.
- Add the chunks of pork and turn them to coat in the sauce.
- Secure the lid in place and bring to high pressure over high heat. Once the pressure indicator has popped up (or however your pressure cooker alerts you that pressure has been reached), set your timer for 70 minutes. Adjust your heat source level as needed. You might need to turn down to medium heat if your burner is very hot.
- After 70 minutes, use a slow release for releasing pressure. When your pressure cooker alerts you that pressure has been released, unlock and open the lid away from you for safety.
- Using a probe thermometer, check the internal temperature of the pork. The pork is done (falling apart) when the temperature reads 205 – 210 degrees.
- Pull the pork out of the pressure cooker and allow it to rest, covered, for about 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, shred the pork, removing the fatty pieces.
- Remove the lime leaves and discard.
- Combine all the finishing sauce ingredients in a 2-cup measuring cup. Pour as much sauce as desired onto the pork and toss.
- Assemble the tacos with pork and any toppings desired.
- Have fun and enjoy!
0 Comments