On my last blog I wrote I'd share a recipe for pulled pork burritos, but in honor of Cinco de Mayo, here's a great recipe for my pulled pork tacos. You know, I recently read Jack in the Box sold over 300 million tacos last year! 300 million! As memory serves me Jack in the Box tacos were terrible. They were something my friends ate after the bars closed because 1) there was nothing else to eat, and 2) If you got sick you didn't waste much money, but with 300 million sold I thought I'd give them another try. I got it home and pulled it out of its greasy brown bag and this is what I found; a shell that tasted like a hybrid of cardboard, corn and plastic, with some kind of partially meat-like substance smeared inside. It looked like the shell had been clamped shut and deep-fried until vulcanized, then pried open with a tire iron and a half slice of synthetic cheese and lettuce forced inside. 300 million, Really?!!
Now I'll admit my tacos aren't the healthiest, but they're filled with slow smoked pulled pork and fresh vegetables. Not an entree you'll want to add to your weekly menu, but tis the season as they say. Everyone loves tacos and who doesn't love barbeque? When you combine the sweet smokey pork with the crisp corn tortillas topped off with savory Queso Cojita, in my opinion you can't go wrong. They're homey and rustic and full of flavor, the way my Dad made for me when I was a little girl.
Serves 8 (2 tacos per person)
16 whole Corn Tortillas
1 lb cooked, smoked pulled pork
1/2 cup grated Monterey jack cheese
Canola oil
Hot Sauce (Chulula Or Other Brand)
2 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
Pico de Gallo
Wedges of Lime
Queso Cojita, crumbled
To fry the tacos, heat an inch or so of canola oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Place pork and jack cheese in the middle of a tortilla, then fold tortilla in half. Hold the two sides together with a pair of metal tongs, then carefully lay the taco on its side in the oil. Use the tongs to hold the top down for a few seconds until it stays put. Turn tacos after 30 to 45 seconds, or until slightly golden brown (not too brown.) , drain on paper towels.
I like to serve these with freshly made pico de gallo, shredded iceberg lettuce, queso cojita,and finished with a squeeze of fresh lime
Pico de Gallo
5 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 yellow onion
1 fresh jalapeno, diced (seeds and all)
4 ea scallions, diced
Juice of 2 limes
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Place all of the ingredients in a bowl mix together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
(you could also add diced mango or pineapple for a different take on the pico de gallo)
This recipe yields about 2 cups
