Citrus Braised Pork Tacos

Something magical happens to this pork when you marinate it in fresh citrus marinade, and then braise it for hours in the marinade and allow the fat to render down into the pork.

I love serving this pork for large groups. I set up a taco bar with all the traditional toppings (cheese, salsa, lettuce, tomato, onion, sour cream, ect.). Everyone can build their taco the way they like them or pile the ingredients on a plate “burrito bowl style.” I prefer to have my tacos a little simpler, with pickled red onion, salsa and a little cilantro. I don’t want to cover up the pork flavor with a lot of toppings. Sometimes simple is best.

Green or red salsa…both are excellent on these pork tacos. Roasted salsa verde is very bright which enhances the citrus flavor of the pork. Roasted tomato salsa adds an incredible smoky flavor to the pork. I like them both and usually serve the pork with both salsas.

I have also sliced the pork into thick pieces and served it as an entree with rice, beans and a salad. Which ever way you have this pork, I know you will love it.

Citrus Braised Pork Tacos

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Serves

6 - 8

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 Pound Pork Shoulder
• 3 Whole Limes (juiced, plus zest of one lime)
• 3 Whole Oranges (juiced, plus zest of one orange)
• 1/4 Cup Distilled Vinegar
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 4 Large Cloves Fresh Garlic (chopped)
• 2 Tablespoons Mexican Oregano (dried)
• 1 Tablespoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions

For the marinade, mix together lime juice & zest, orange juice & zest, vinegar, vegetable oil, garlic, salt, oregano & black pepper. Remove pork shoulder from package and rinse off. Cut 1/2 inch slits all over pork shoulder. Place pork in zip lock bag and pour marinade over pork. Place in refrigerator for 24 hours.
Remove the pork shoulder about 2 hours before cooking. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place pork shoulder and marinade in a dutch oven.
Cover and place dutch oven in preheated oven for about five hours.
After five hours remove the pork from the oven and test for doneness. Slide a fork into pork and remove it. It should slide in and out easily.
Cover and let the pork shoulder rest for one hour in braising liquid.
After one hour remove pork shoulder from dutch oven and shred. Strain the zest and garlic out of the braising liquid. Discard zest and garlic and set liquid aside.
Place shredded pork back into the dutch oven and add about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the braising liquid. Use a fat separator to remove fat as you are pouring it. If you do not have a fat separator you can use a spoon to skim off the fat before you pour it into the pork.