Juicy, sweet and spicy pork tacos topped with a creamy, vibrant pineapple slaw. A healthy, flavor-packed Taco Tuesday meal.
I realized something crazy the other day….I have’t celebrated Taco Tuesday in a while.
So naturally, I had to change that immediately!
And what better way to celebrate than with a fresh, vibrant, delicious new taco recipe.
Enter these sweet and spicy pineapple pork tacos with creamy pineapple slaw.
Ok…I actually have been eating these tacos all weekend (a 3 pound pork shoulder makes A LOT of tacos). But still eating them today to honor the best day of the week….#tacotuesday!
Last Friday, I decided to do a surprise day for my husband. We recently celebrated our 2 year anniversary (and I had an all day working meeting on the day) and my husband is just wonderful and supportive, so I wanted to do something special for him.
The simple surprise which was just suppose to be drinks out at a new bar in Chicago quickly turned into a much more elaborate scheme. I can never do anything simple!
I had an action packed night planned on Friday for the surprise. I invited another couple to join us for the night (surprise 1), took him to a new, hip bar in the West Loop of Chicago for some great cocktails, called Gideon Sweet (surprise 2), and then took him home for a delicious meal of these pork and pineapple tacos (surprise 3).
It was a very fun night! And my husband was thoroughly surprised. Admittedly, I think the anticipation of my surprise evening may have given my husband a little anxiety (he really doesn’t like surprises…but they are so fun, so I couldn’t help myself). But all in all, he loved each and every surprise.
But the tacos were definitely his favorite!! He loved the sweet and spicy flavor of the juicy, succulent pork and the creamy, sweet and crunchy pineapple slaw. It’s a fresh, vibrant taco bursting with flavors. It’s definitely a show stopper!
Let’s get to cooking.
My favorite way to cook pork shoulder is in the crockpot. It requires very little work on my part and it makes the pork tender and juicy.
The marinade for the pork is what packs that sweet and spicy punch and makes these tacos irresistible. To make the marinade, combine adobo peppers, lime juice, honey, soy, rice wine vinegar, fresh ginger and garlic in the food processor and blend until smooth and the ingredients are broken down (exact measurements below). Add in the crushed pineapple and S&P and pulse until well-combined but the pineapple pieces are still present.
This marinade combines both Mexican and Asian flavors. The Mexican adobo peppers add this spicy smoky flavor. The asian flavors of the soy, honey, ginger, and rice wine vinegar add that sweet, salty, umami flavor. Together it creates this luscious, bold, flavor-packed sauce. It’s what makes these tacos so so good.
A tip when cooking pork in the crockpot: always sear it to develop a golden brown crust on the outside before slow cooking it in the crockpot. This imparts additional flavor to help make the pork shine.
My crockpot has a sauté function, so I can do everything in one pot. If you crockpot does not have this function, you can simply complete this step in a skillet and then transfer the meat to the crockpot.
Liberally salt and pepper the entire pork. Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in your cooking vessel (the skillet or crockpot with sauté function) and sear the pork on all side, about 5 minutes per side. Once the pork is seared and in the crockpot, pour in marinade and set the crockpot on low, cook time 7-9 hours. The pork is done when fork tender. Shred the entire pork and combine with remaining juices in crockpot.
The second main component to this dish is the creamy pineapple slaw. It’s a fresh and healthy slaw that adds crunch and texture to the tacos.
The dressing consists of greek yogurt, pineapple and orange juices, rice wine vinegar, and honey. Mix the ingredients together to form a thick, creamy dressing. Add the bag broccoli slaw (I prefer broccoli slaw because of the uniformed cut pieces and more nutritious veggies, but regular slaw mix will work too), chopped green onions, jalapeños, and pineapple chunks to a large bowl and top with the dressing. I prefer to do this step the night before or hours before serving because the slaw gets better and better as it sits in the fridge (it helps the flavors meld and develop).
The slaw is creamy from the greek yogurt, slightly sweet from the honey and pineapple, a little spicy from the jalapeños, and super tangy from the greek yogurt and rice wine vinegar, which pairs perfectly with the fatty and rich pork.
Last tip for getting a perfect pork for these tacos: broil the cooked shredded meat for 8-10 minutes before serving. This creates a caramelized, charred crust on the pork which brings out the flavors of the meat.
Alright, everything is cooked and ready to go. Let’s assemble a taco! (I didn’t mean to rhyme there, but it’s got a nice ring to it 🙂 )
Take a charred corn tortilla, top with the caramelized pork and tangy slaw, and finally garnish with fresh avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.
It’s hard to put into words how great these tacos taste. These are just so good. Kind of perfect.
First, the pork is to die for. It’s juicy and tender. And bursting with so much flavor. It’s sweet from the honey and pineapple, spicy and smoky from the adobo peppers, both of which are balanced by the acidity of the vinegar and lime. It’s one of those addicting flavors that you can’t help but just keep going back for bite after bite.
Then there is the slaw. Yum! It’s super creamy, tangy, and delicious, but still has that nice crunch factor. It’s the perfect pairing to the sweet and spicy pork.
Then you add fresh cilantro, lime juice, and avocado. Takes it right over the edge and makes this hands down one of the best dishes I have made on Danilicious. It’s a bold statement, but it’s been backed up by several people now.
My husband is obsessed with these tacos. He wants me to put them on our weekly meal rotation.
Our friends who joined us for the surprise day on Friday are still talking about these tacos four days later. Sign of a good recipe.
I even brought these over for a meal to a friend’s place who just had an adorable baby girl (always bring good food for new parents). They ranted and raved about these tacos and asked for the recipe.
All proof that you too need to make these tacos. Try them for yourselves. And be prepared to become addicted too. Because they are delicious.
And best yet….
These tacos are perfect for a weeknight meal (especially on Taco Tuesday) because all the work is done in the crockpot and beforehand. After a long day at work, you just need to come home and assemble these bad boys, and you have a healthy, delicious meal in minutes.
Seriously, I hope you fall in love and gush about these tacos too. Please let me know in the comments below 🙂
Spicy Pineapple Pork Tacos
Juicy, sweet and spicy pork tacos topped with a creamy, vibrant pineapple slaw. A healthy, flavor-packed Taco Tuesday meal.
Ingredients
Spicy Pineapple Pork Tacos
- 3 pound pork shoulder bone in and fat trimmed
- 1 can crushed pineapple 20 ounces
- 3 adobo peppers plus 1 tablespoon sauce
- 2 1 inch pieces fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic
- 1/2 cup soy
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- juice of one lime
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- salt and pepper
- 10-12 Corn Tortillas
- Cilantro for garnish
- Avocado slice for garnish
Creamy Pineapple Slaw
- 1 bag broccoli slaw
- 3 green onions diced
- 1 small jalapeño diced some seeds removed*
- 1/2 cup diced pineapple
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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For marinade, combine adobo peppers and sauce, fresh ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy, honey, and rice wine vinegar until peppers and ginger are broken down. Add in crushed pineapple and pulse until well combined. The mixture should still have bits of the crushed pineapple.
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Liberally salt and pepper pork shoulder. Either in crock pot (if it has searing function) or in separate pan, heat tablespoon of coconut oil. Sear pork on all sides (about 5 minutes per side). The pork should develop a nice golden brown crust on all side.
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In crockpot, combine seared pork and marinade. Cook on low for 7-9 hours, or until pork easily shreds with a fork.
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Once pork is completely cooked, use a fork to shred it entirely. Right before serving, turn on broiler to high and broil pork for 5-8 minutes, or until edges start to caramelize and char**
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For slaw, combine the greek yogurt, rice wine vinegar, orange and pineapple juices, and honey and whisk until well-combined. Add in salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
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In a large bowl, combine broccoli slaw, green onions, jalapeño, and pineapple. Pour dressing over slaw and mix until the dressing evenly coats the slaw.***
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To assemble the tacos, first char the corn tortillas over open gas burner or in a heated pan on stove. Top with desired amount of charred pork and slaw. Garnish with cilantro and fresh avocado.
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Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*When adding jalapeños, remember, the more seeds, the more spiced added. If you do not want it too spicy, remove most of the seeds.
**You do not need to broil the pork before serving, but it is highly recommended as it adds texture and additional flavor to the pork.
***The slaw is best made the day before so it can sit overnight and the flavors can develop and deepen.
