Bourbon Barbecue Pork Tacos
Bourbon Barbecue Pork Tacos are one of our favorite fall dinners. I start these bourbon barbecue tacos by braising some tender pulled pork in a bourbon barbecue sauce. While the barbecue pork braises, I make an Apple and Red Cabbage Slaw and a Cilantro Crema. Then, I fill flour tortillas with the pork, slaw, and crema. We like these barbecue pork tacos for several reasons. First of all, I like making this pulled pork which makes many meals for my family. I use just about a fifth of it for these barbecue pork tacos. The rest of it gets stored in my freezer for future meals. I have many recipes on my blog for pulled pork. Secondly, I like that I can make all the components for these tacos ahead of time. And, lastly, we all love the tender pork, the tangy bourbon barbecue sauce, and the crispy slaw.
The Equipment I Used
- A Dutch Oven- I like to bake my pork in an enameled cast iron Dutch oven. But you can bake the pork in any oven-safe pan or pot with either a tight-fitting lid or aluminum foil.
The Ingredients Needed for Bourbon Barbecue Pork Tacos
- Ketchup- I always use Heinz organic ketchup as the base for my barbecue sauce.
- Pork- Use a boneless pork butt.
- Chicken Stock- I always use my homemade chicken stock. The recipe is below.
- Bourbon- If you don’t have bourbon, you can just leave it out. Although it does need nice flavor.
- Mayonnaise- I always use Hellman’s mayonnaise.
How I Made my Tacos
- First, I braised the pork.
- Next, while the pork cooked, I made the slaw and the cilantro crema.
- Finally, I fried the tortillas and filled them with everything.
If you like tender and juicy pork, you need to try these flavorful Bourbon Barbecue Pork Tacos.
Bourbon Barbecue Pork Tacos
Tender pulled pork in a bourbon barbecue sauce in soft tortillas with an apple cabbage slaw and a cilantro crema.
Ingredients
For The Pulled Pork:
- 2 onions, cut in half inch slices
- 3 pounds boneless pork butt
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper and kosher salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper, garlic powder, and cumin powder
- 2 tsp. each chili powder and paprika
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
For the Bourbon Barbecue Sauce:
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 cup minced onions
- 2 tbsp. chopped garlic
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- ½ tsp. black pepper
For the Red Cabbage and Apple Slaw:
- 2 cups red cabbage, thinl
- 1 cup peeled and diced apples
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
For the Cilantro Crema:
- ½ cup each mayonnaise and sour cream
- ¼ cup minced cilantro leaves
- 1 sliced scallion
- 2 tbsp. each lime juice and lime zest
- ½ tsp. chili powder
- 2 cloves minced garlic
To assemble the tacos:
- 8 small flour tortillas
Instructions
- Begin by making the Pulled Pork: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- At the bottom of a large Dutch oven, place the onions. Mix all the spices together and rub them all over the pork. Place the pork butt on top of the onions, fat side up. Add the chicken stock to the bottom of the pot.
- Bake, tightly covered, for five hours. When the pork is done, shred it with two forks and stir in the sugar. You'll only need about a quarter of the pork for this recipe. Freeze the rest for other meals.
- While the pork cooks, make the barbecue sauce, cilantro crema and the apple and cabbage slaw.
- For the Bourbon Barbecue Sauce: Melt the butter in a three quart saucepan, and cook the onion and garlic until softened. Then, add the rest of the ingredients, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Stir this into the pork you're using for the tacos.
- For the Apple and Red Cabbage Slaw: In a medium bowl stir together the apples and cabbage. Place the remaining ingredients in a small jar and shake them together. Pour this over the vegetables and mix everything together.
- For the Cilantro Crema: Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl.
- To Assemble the tacos: In a cast iron skillet, on medium heat, toast up each tortilla on both sides. Fill the tortillas with some pork, some slaw and some crema.
Nutrition
Calories: 310kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Chicken Stock
Homemade chicken stock
Ingredients
- 4½ lbs. chicken breasts and wings with skin and bones
- 10 cups water
- 2 peeled onions
- 2 peeled carrots
- 3 peeled parsley roots
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
- 4 stalks celery
- 1 peeled parsnip
- 2 tbsp. garlic cloves
- 1 cup fresh parsley and fresh dill
Instructions
- Put the chicken and the salt in a large, tall pot and cover with ten cups of cold water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes, skimming any scum that forms.
- Add all the vegetables and herbs and simmer for two and a half hours. Pour the soup through a strainer to remove everything but the broth.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
