Slow-Roast Pork Shoulder, Then Tacos
A shoulder big enough for two dinners takes no more effort than one for a single meal. Sunday it is carved at the table; Tuesday it is shredded, crisped hard in a hot pan, and folded into tortillas.
Roast Pork with Apples and Onions
3 hr 30 min- 1 bone-in pork shoulder, about 5 lb
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 onions, cut into wedges
- 3 apples, quartered and cored
- 1 cup apple cider or chicken broth
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Pat the pork dry and rub all over with the salt, smoked paprika, cumin and brown sugar.
- Spread the onions and apples in a roasting pan, set the pork on top fat-side up, and pour the cider around it.
- Roast 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the pork is deeply browned and a fork twists easily in the thickest part - around 195 to 200 degrees F for tender, pullable meat.
- Rest 20 minutes, then carve or pull about half for dinner and serve with the apples, onions, and pan juices.
Once dinner is served on night one, set aside the remaining pork with some of the pan juices. Let it cool for no more than an hour, then refrigerate in a shallow covered container. It keeps 3 to 4 days. Shred it cold on night two — cold pork shreds more cleanly than warm.
Crispy Pork Tacos
15 min- About 1 1/2 lb leftover roast pork, shredded
- 8 small corn or flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro
- Reserved pan juices, about 1/4 cup
- Toss the cabbage with half the lime juice and a pinch of salt and leave it while you cook.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high until very hot. Add the shredded pork in a single layer with a splash of the reserved pan juices.
- Leave it untouched 4 to 5 minutes until the underside is crisp and browned, then turn and crisp briefly on the other side. Check it is steaming hot throughout - at least 165 degrees F.
- Warm the tortillas in a dry pan, then fill with pork, slaw, sour cream, jalapeño and cilantro, and finish with the remaining lime.
Crisp the pork without stirring. Leftover shoulder is soft and a little dry on its own; the hot pan and the patience to leave it alone for four minutes is what turns it back into something you want to eat.
*Approximately 610 calories per serving on night one and 480 on night two. Calories are estimates from standard ingredient databases; actual values vary by brand and portion. See our disclaimer.