Recipe: Slow Cooker Maple Jalapeño Pulled Pork Tacos
Transform a cut of pork into a sweet and spicy taco filling with just a jar of pickled jalapeños and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Serves4 to 6
Makes12 tacos
Prep10 minutes
Cook8 hours to 10 hours
Tender pieces of pulled pork often end up on slider buns, but tonight we’re piling them into charred tortillas instead. With just a jar of pickled jalapeños, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a few hours in the slow cooker, you can transform a cut of pork into a sweet and spicy taco filling.
How to Make 3-Ingredient Maple Jalapeño Pulled Pork Tacos
For this recipe you only need a boneless pork butt (or pork shoulder), a jar of pickled jalapeños, and a bottle of pure maple syrup. Before you begin, trim the fat and season the pork with salt and pepper. Nestle the meat in a medium-sized slow cooker. Any slow cooker from 4 to 6 quarts should do, although my preferred is a round 4 1/2-quart slow cooker.
The pickling liquid, jalapeño slices, and maple syrup mingle with the rendering juices from the pork, building a broth that gently braises the meat until it pulls apart in tender forkfuls. The spicy pork is best served atop warm tortillas with more pickled jalapeños, diced white onion, and chopped fresh cilantro.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos
Transform a cut of pork into a sweet and spicy taco filling with just a jar of pickled jalapeños and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 8 hours to 10 hours
Makes 12 tacos
Serves 4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1
(3- to 4-pound) boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
- 1 tablespoon
kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup
pickling liquid from a (16-ounce) jar sliced pickled jalapeños
- 1/2 cup
maple syrup
For serving: 12 warmed (6-inch) corn tortillas, pickled jalapeños, diced white onion, chopped cilantro
Instructions
Trim off any large pieces of fat from the pork. Season all over with the salt and pepper, then place in a 4 1/2-quart or larger slow cooker. Pour in the pickling liquid and maple syrup. Cover and cook on the LOW setting until the pork is tender, 8 to 10 hours.
Transfer the pork to a clean cutting board and shred with 2 forks or your fingers. Serve the pork on warm 6-inch corn tortillas with more pickled jalapeños, diced white onion, and chopped fresh cilantro.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in defatted cooking liquid for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.