Chipotle-Braised Pork Taco with Grilled Corn Slaw and Fresh Salsa
Tacos are one of THE ultimate street foods. Humble beginnings aside, one of the easiest ways to find tacos is to head to where the people are. Sure enough, you’re likely to find some sort of street taco vendor selling soft tortillas filled to the brim with deliciously flavorful meat, cheese, and veggies. Heck, even as I type this, I’m watching a fountain show in a local taco cafe. the fact is, people flock to tacos not only because they are delicious: There’s a convenience about the,. You can customize them to fit any palette, they can easily be taken on the go, and they provide a filling meal in a small parcel. There is no doubt in my mind that tacos are clearly helping to form our casual munching culture.
It was browsing the farmers market a few years ago that I found an artisan ingredient that spoke to me, and gave me the inspiration for a beautiful, juicy roast: Chipotle Wine. Its sold by Potter wines, of the Jalapeno wine fame that makes its presence known in the Treasure Valley with its samples of spicy sweet wines and hard lemonades. While I can’t sit here and say that these wines are perfect for every palette and every cocktail, I can say with certainty that the culinary possibilities of cooking with Jalapeno wine makes it an absolute must-have addition to any Idahoan pantry. Chipotle Wine especially adds this incredible smokiness to whatever meat is fortunate to grace a slow cooker with it. In fact, when I made pulled pork a few years ago, I was shocked at how tender and flavorful the roast had become just by adding Jalapeno Wine. I had NEVER gotten that result from dried spices alone, and quickly adopted the bottles into my culinary toolbox.
Did I mention the bottle is a colorful accompaniment to any liquor cabinet?
So, what better way to eat a deliciously tender, smokey meat than in a loaded, crisp taco!
Ready to be served, and filled with delicious flavor!
These tacos are downright incredible and have layers and layers of depth and flavors. From the juicy, tenderly smoky meat, to the crisp pop of grilled corn, the salty tang of cotija cheese, the heat of freshly made salsa, and the cooling refreshment of bright coriander microgreens. All these components combine into a succulent symphony that stimulates the senses, tantalizes the taste buds, and satisfies the soul. I personally love adding the crisp coriander Microgreens on top; they have a sharper flavor than regular old cilantro but add a nutritious freshness that is unmatched.
There are so many vitamins packed into microgreens, and the sharp freshness is fascinating!
Now, lets get this out there right off the bat: There are a BUNCH of steps to each of these toppings. However, that’s OK! Tacos, like I mentioned, are versatile. The toppings are just as exquisite cold (Tony swears up and down that for the salsa and corn, cold is a must), and can easily be made in advance. Plus, I encourage tacos to be a hands-on, involved activity that gets everyone into the action through a beautiful taco bar spread. I’ll write out the steps for each one and leave it to your personal taste as to whether to add it into your taco repertoire!
Can I just…One little bite?! Please!?!
First, lets talk salsa. I’ll admit that salsa is a bit of an obsession of mine, ever since I was thrust into the position of making one on the spot for a party half a decade ago. I had never made one, and really couldn’t say that I had the taste for them either (I really don’t care for super spicy food). However, a quick look not only gave me a simple recipe, but also created a spark that got my engines moving into the realm of research. Now, most of my salsas will have a sweet element to help compliment the spice. This salsa is no different. The sweetness of the Mango-Pineapple Jalapeno Jam(Compliments of none other than The Jelly Lady) melds incredibly well with the spicy hit from the habanero. To start, take Red and Orange Bell Peppers, Roma Tomatoes, A Habanero pepper, and one quartered small yellow onion and set them to broil in the oven until nice and crispy. You’ll want to turn them over halfway through the process to make sure everything is evenly roasted. Once they are cooled, add them to a food processor with the roasted garlic, Mango-Pineapple Jelly, Cilantro(Once again from the ever amazing Purple Sage Farms), and olive oil. Then, just blitz until you get a nice consistency! You might need to add a bit of salt and pepper for taste, but the color should be a beautiful orange!
Its’ delicious hue was matched only by the luxurious sunset a few hours later.
Next, lets dive into the corn topping. I shucked a few ears of corn and grilled them in our cast iron pan until nice and toasted on all sides. Then, I sliced off the Kernels, and placed them into a bowl. After that, I added in the salty Cotija cheese, salt, pepper, and a sprinkling of a deliciously smoky Paprika. The sweet corn, the salty cheese, and the smoky paprika blend together into a balancing act of flavor! Really, it’s just that simple!
Such a complex flavor in every bite!
Lastly, the meat. Many people think the meat is the center stage of the taco, but I don’t necessarily subscribe to that. Instead, I think meat should be the foundation, the supports that the toppings and dressings should sit on, that make a taco what it is: balanced, strong, and delicious. For this taco, we used Pork( compliments of the fantastic Malheur River Meats from the farmers market), though really any meat can be used. I like pork because of its fat content, and how the meat can easily retain its juicy, moist texture with little added work. When working on the go, it’s a simple and easy to use meat! I added the roasted garlic and onion to our Instapot (A slow cooker will work just as well), and the pork rested right on top of it. Then, I poured in the Chipotle Wine. This smoky wine seeps into all the nooks and crannies of the pork, filling it with a beautiful flavor in every bite. I then set the Instapot onto Meat/Stew and left it on high for 35 minutes. After that, I let it rest for 10 minutes before releasing the pressure. If using a slow cooker, you can let the pork roast on low for 8 hours, or High for 4 hours, and get the same result! Pull out the pork and shred it till nice and stringy!
Oh my gosh, the juices are dripping in this! So juicy!
All that’s left to do is assemble the taco! It’s pretty self-explanatory, really. In our taco, I first put in meat, then salsa, then corn, and finished with a beautiful dense topping of Coriander Microgreens from Tree City Microgreens. The crisp greens made each bite fresh yet have so many layers of depth!
A simple process to an overly flavorful meal!
I really can’t say anything else, other than you have to try these of course! While I certainly recommend my process, tacos are beautiful in that they can be customized to fit anyone’s taste. Don’t be afraid to give it a go!
Its just so pretty! Excuse me, I have a dinner to get to!
Recipe: Chipotle-Braised Pork Tacos with Grilled Corn Slaw and Fresh Salsa
Servings: Makes about 12 street tacos
Ingredients:
For the Meat:
3 lb Pork Shoulder Roast
¾ cup Chipotle Wine
1 Yellow Onion, diced
4 gloves roasted garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Corn Topping:
2 ears corn, shucked
¼ cup cotija cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp paprika
Salt and Pepper to taste
For the Salsa:
3 Roma Tomatoes
2 -3 Red and Orange Bell Peppers, deseeded.
4 cloves roasted garlic
1 Habanero, Deseeded
1 small yellow onion, quartered
2 tbsp Mango- Pineapple Jalapeno Jelly
½ cup Cilantro
1 tbsp Olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 cups coriander microgreens
Instructions:
1. Prepare the meat. In an Instapot or slow cooker, add the onion and roasted garlic. Then, place the pork shoulder on top, and pour in the chipotle wine. For Instapot, select the Meat/Stew Setting, and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, letting the meat rest for 10 minutes before releasing the pressure. For slow cookers, proceed to cook the pork on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.
2. Prepare the corn topping. Grill the ears of corn on a cast iron grill until slightly roasted and brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Then, slice off the kernels. In a bowl, combine corn, cotija cheese, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.
3. Prepare the Salsa. Preheat the oven to broil. On a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, Add the tomatoes, Bell Peppers, habanero, and yellow onion. Make sure to puncture the tomatoes so they do not explode in the oven. Place the vegetables in the oven, watching carefully to ensure they do not burn. Broil until nicely charred, about 5-10 minutes. Turn the vegetables over halfway through to ensure they all are nicely roasted. Pull out the pan and let it come to room temperature.
4. Place the roasted vegetables in a food processor, and add cilantro, mango-pineapple jalapeno jelly, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Blitz until you reach your desired consistency. Make sure to taste to see if it need any more salt or pepper!
5. By now the meat should be done. Remove the pork and shred with forks until nice and stringy.
6. Construct the tacos! Add a layer of chipotle pork, then spoon some of the rustic orange salsa. Top that with the grilled corn slaw, and finish with coriander microgreens.
