A Sweet And Spicy Pulled Pork
I know I promised pulled pork tacos, but this week I felt more like sandwiches. So, you can still have tacos if you like, but this will work equally well with sandwiches. Your choice! With both I made a zesty cilantro-lime slaw and a chipotle mayo and it worked great with both.
I did this in the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker just to make sure that it worked, because last week I used a little larger piece of meat without cutting it into pieces first, which forced me to switch to plan B, the B meaning burned. No, I didn’t burn the meat, but the emergency transferring of the meat from electric pressure cooker to stovetop cooker caused a splash that resulted in several second-degree burns on the top of one hand. So, I highly recommend that you cut the meat into two or three pieces for easier handling.
To start, make the sauce. Combine sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Cut the meat into 2 or 3 pieces and season with seasoned salt or salt and pepper.
In a few tablespoons of canola or other oil, brown each piece of meat on one side. Just browning on one side is enough to impart enough of the caramelized flavor. I have found that if I try to brown all sides I start to lose patience and flip too early, ending up with slightly browned meat, and not as much flavor as browning well on just one side.
Remove the meat to a plate.
Sauté the onion, adding a bit more oil if necessary. When onion is translucent, add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
Pour in a bottle of Mexican beer, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
Add some salt and pepper.
Place the meat back in the pot on top of the onions.
Pour the previously prepared sauce over the meat and toss a couple of bay leaves on top for luck.
Lock the top on the cooker, set heat to high and bring to high pressure for 80 minutes.
When time is up, let the pressure come down on its own for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
Remove the meat to a platter or board to rest for 10 minutes or so.
Pull the meat apart with two forks.
I didn’t use the pan sauce since I already had a chipotle mayo and zesty slaw, but you can skim some fat off and use as is, or bring to a simmer for 10 minutes or so.
Mango Chipotle Pulled Pork | Print |
- 1-1/2 cups frozen mango chunks, thawed (you can use fresh)
- 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, plus 1 tablespoon of the sauce
- ½ cup catsup
- Juice of 1 lime
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 3 tablespoons canola oil (or any cooking oil)
- Seasoned salt
- 4 pound bone-in pork shoulder (cut into 2-3 pieces)
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 bottle Mexican beer
- 2 bay leaves
- Pour all sauce ingredients in blender or food processor
- Blend until smooth
- With pressure cooker pot on medium-high heat, heat the oil (For electric cookers, turn sauté mode to high)
- Brown each piece of pork on one side
- Remove the meat to a plate
- Sauté the onion until translucent
- Add the garlic and continue to sauté for another minute
- Pour in the beer, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot
- Sprinkle in the salt and pepper
- Add the meat back into the pot
- Pour sauce over the meat
- Toss the bay leaves on top
- Lock the top on the pot
- Turn heat to high to reach high pressure (if using electric, turn off sauté mode and set to manual mode at high pressure)
- When high pressure is reached, adjust heat to maintain high pressure
- Set time for 80 minutes
- When time is up, let the pressure come down on its own for 10 minutes, then do a quick release
- Remove meat to a platter or cutting board and let it cool for a few minutes
- Pull apart the meat with 2 forks
- If you want to use the sauce, you can bring to a simmer for 10 minutes or so to reduce slightly or you can make a day ahead and refrigerate the sauce, then remove the layer of fat from the sauce and reheat.
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