Slow Cooker Pork Tinga Tacos

Meat and potatoes… in a TACO!?!? This may have been my husband’s dream dinner. 🙂 The chipotles and slow cooker cooking were for me! This filling could also be served on its own as a chili. This recipe is from Rick Bayless’ Mexico- One Plate at a Time, Season 7, via rickbayless.com. Delicious!!!

Yield: 6 servings

• 1 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
• 1 pound lean, boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 ounces chorizo sausage, about 1 link, removed from its casing
• 5 to 6 medium (about 3/4 to 1 pound total) red-skinned potatoes, quartered
• 1 large white or yellow onion, sliced 1/4–inch thick
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, in juice (preferably fire-roasted)
• 2 to 3 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, finely chopped
• 4 teaspoons chipotle canning sauce (adobo)
• 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• coarse salt
• About 1/2 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese like feta or salted pressed farmers cheese
• 1 avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and diced
• warm corn tortillas, for serving

1. If your slow cooker has an insert that can go on the stovetop, heat the oil in it over medium-high heat. (If it cannot go on the stove or you do not have a removable insert heat the oil in a very large (12-inch) non-stick skillet.) Once the oil is very hot, add the pork and chorizo in a single layer and cook, stirring until the meat has browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and place the insert into your slow cooker (if you’re using a skillet, transfer the meat and its juices into the slow cooker).
2. Add the potatoes, onions, garlic, tomatoes with their liquid, chipotles, chipotle sauce, Worcestershire, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to mix thoroughly. Cook at the highest temperature.
3. The tinga will be finished after 6 hours at the highest temperature, though you can hold it for longer. (My slow-cooker can be programmed to switch from high after 6 hours to a keep-warm low temperature for up to another 6 hours. Some slow cookers click to keep-warm automatically; others need to be switched manually.)
4. After six hours, gently stir the tinga. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a little water. Taste, and season with salt if you think the dish needs it. Scoop into a large bowl, sprinkle with the fresh cheese and diced avocado, and serve with warm tortillas.

One Year Ago:

• Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Thyme

Two Years Ago:

• Tacos with Tangy Cilantro Chicken

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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