{recipe} Easy Asian Shredded Pork Tacos

You know what’s awesome? TACOS. You know what’s even awesomer? ASIAN TACOS. I love America.

Basically you brown some meat, add some junk to the pot, cook the heck out of it in the oven, put it in a tortilla. Sweet, spicy, salty, porky. What could be easier or more delicious? Practically nothing.

If you are even lazier than me (hard to believe, but possible) I bet you could even skip the browning and just go straight to the junk-in-the-pot part. If you do, let me know if it’s good.

How do you all heat up your tortillas? I only ask because I came across this post on The Kitchn which alerted me to the fact that many people employ wet towels, microwaves, toaster ovens, frying pans, and so forth for the task, which I do not do. I like to heat my corn tortillas directly over a low gas flame. Not in a pan, just over the flames. If you do it correctly and carefully, flipping often (with fingers or tongs) and paying attention, you get a hot tortilla with just a little char and not a flaming tortilla setting off a fire alarm. You can make them and put them in a towel- if they’re in a stack, they will keep each other warm and the towel will help hold all the heat in.

So, completely unrelated to how great Asian tacos are, I’m going to Bhutan tomorrow so I won’t be posting for a couple of weeks. In the meantime you should read about the super great time I had in a weird part of Canada or that time I made crappy ice cream from Pinterest or make yourself a ridiculously good margarita. And if you like this recipe, here is another one that might also float your boat.

Recipe: Easy Asian Shredded Pork Tacos
serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tblsp vegetable oil
• 7 to 8 lb. boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut in 2 inch chunks (you could ask the butcher to do this for you)
• 3 small or 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups red wine
• 1 1/2 cups soy sauce
• 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar, divided
• 4 inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut in chunks
• salt, pepper, and sriracha to taste

METHOD:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot on high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper and brown on all sides.
• Lower heat to medium. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
• Add wine, soy sauce, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and ginger. Add 20 grinds of pepper and sriracha to taste (I added about a teaspoon.) If meat is not covered by liquid, add water to cover.
• Cover pot and place in oven for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until pork shreds easily with a fork.
• Return to stove top. Let sit for a few minutes off the heat.  Skim fat from liquid with a spoon and discard.
• Add remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar and bring to a boil over high heat to reduce sauce. Cook until sauce is syrupy and coats the pork, about 20-30 minutes.
• Serve with corn tortillas, chopped scallions, sliced cabbage, and more sriracha.