Beer-Braised Pulled Pork Tacos and a SPicy Mango and Pineapple Salsa

By Meeta K. Wolff

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 6 hours + 24 hours marinating time

Serves 6

Ingredients

Beer Braised Pulled Pork

• 2 kg pork neck

• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 tablespoon sea salt

• 2 tablespoon peppercorns

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder

• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1teaspoon chipotle chilli powder

• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds

• 1 large white onion

• 2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into pieces

• 1 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

• 330 ml Rotbier from Braumanufaktur Schmalkalden (or any other Craft Beer with a fruity note

• 300 ml pineapple juice

• 12 Soft Tacos

• 1 bunch of coriander leaves, chopped

Method

1. In a spice grinder, grind cumin seeds, thyme, black peppercorns and sea salt. Then add brown sugar, smoked paprika powder, the sweet paprika powder, garlic cloves and chipotle chilli powder and grind into a smooth rub.

2. Rub the meat generously from all sides with the spice rub. Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours. When the meat has rested, peel the white onion and cut into wedges. Chop the Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Add to the casserole, the onion wedges and the carrots and rub the meat with the chipotle peppers and some of the adobo sauce. Pour beer and pineapple juice and marinated meat for 30 minutes until the oven is heated.

3. Close the lid and place the casserole in the preheated oven at 220°C. Reduce the heat to 150 °C after 20 minutes. After 90 minutes, remove the lid and cook for another 2.5 hours. Every 60 minutes turn the meat in the pot. After a total of approx. 4 hours, check if the meat is cooked by using two forks and pulling the meat apart - if it falls apart on its own - it is ready.

4. Remove the meat from the casserole and allow to rest for another 60 minutes on a plate or baking tray. Finally, use two forks to pull the meat apart gradually adding some meat stock to make it moist.

Spicy Pineapple Mango Salsa

• 225g pineapple, diced

• 450g mango, diced

• 2 ripe avocados, diced

• 1 jalapeno diced very small

• 1/2 red bell pepper diced

• 1/2 red onion diced

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp lime juice

• 1 tsp sea salt

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp smoky chipotle pepper

Method

1. Toss all of the ingredients in a bowl well.

Assemble the Tacos

To assemble the tacos: fill the soft tacos with the pulled pork meat, add a good tablespoon or two of the salsa, sprinkle with the coriander leaves. Enjoy with a chilled bottle of Braumanufaktur Rotbier

Notes

• You can spread some sour cream on the tacos for a tangy flavour

• You can line the tacos with fresh lettuce or baby spinach leaves before adding the meat.

• You can add guacamole and/or chipotle chilli sauce over the meat.

• If you are unable to get your hands on a Rotbier from the Braunmanufaktur Schmalkalden, then any craft beer / Red Ale would also work with the pulled pork.