Taco Surprise!

I really did cook the most amazing dinner last night, and considering the pork recipe was adapted from one I found in Cooking Light, I'm feeling extra special about it.

If you're going to make it, get started early: both recipes require fridge time.   

Char Siu Pulled Pork Tacos with Sesame-Apple-Cabbage Slaw

Here's what you need for the pulled pork:

¼ cup lower-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup hoisin sauce
¼ cup ketchup
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
½ teaspoon five-spice powder
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled & grated
Boneless pork roast or pork tenderloin, about 2-2½ pounds, trimmed of fat and cut into large pieces
1 package of soft flour tortillas

Here's what to do:

Put the first eight ingredients in a large zip-loc bag and squish until well combined. Add pork and squish some more until well coated. Refrigerate for about 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°. Pour all contents of the zip-loc into a dutch oven, cover, and bake until tender, turning pork occasionally to keep it moist. Plan for about 2 hours for a roast; a little less for tenderloin.

Remove from heat and transfer pork to a large bowl, reserving the sauce that’s in the dutch oven. When pork is cool, shred it and mix well with your hands. Add equal parts of water and reserved sauce, if needed. Save the remaining sauce for the tacos.

Here's what you need for the slaw:

2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled & grated
½ tablespoon raw sugar
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ of a medium head of green cabbage, thinly sliced
3 green onions, sliced, including greens
1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced into matchstick-sized strips
½ sugar snap peas, stems, ends, & spines removed, sliced lengthwise into matchstick-sized strips
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Here's what to do:

Put first six ingredients into a small bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved. Toss vegetables into a larger bowl and stir in dressing until mixed well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

When you're ready, reheat the pork and serve on warm tortillas with slaw on top. Drizzle with a little sauce, if desired.

Best served on fine china, not paper plates!