Pineapple Pulled Pork Tacos

I've mentioned this many times but my slow cooker and I do not get along. Thankfully, I work from home so I can still make delicious, slow-cooked meals like these Pineapple Pulled Pork Tacos. You prepare the recipe like you would in a slow cooker, but the meal cooks low and slow in the oven. The results are just as delicious, although perhaps not as convenient.



The one downside to cooking dinner all day was the smell. Holy moly, did my house smell AMAZING. I was positively ravenous imagining how good these would taste. What drew me to the recipe in the first place was how totally different it was from regular tacos. We all love these flavors and the end result did not disappoint.



The only change I'm suggesting below is to use a piece of pork with more fat. Steve was questioning why I'd cook a lean piece of meat like a tenderloin all day. I thought the pork was still tender, but it was a little dry. Otherwise we all loved these tacos. The subtle pineapple and soy flavor in the pork, the delicious BBQ sauce, the tangy, creamy goat cheese and the bright flavor of the cilantro and scallions. It all works.

The good news is, this makes a ton of food so leftovers are a given. I squirreled away the leftover pork and I'm planning to turn it into a pizza sometime soon - dough, pork and mozzarella cheese baked until golden, topped with scallions, cilantro and goat cheese. I. Can't. Wait!

{Slow Cooker} Pineapple Pulled Pork Tacos
As seen on PreventionRD

Pork:
3 lbs pork loin/shoulder/butt
1 28-oz can pineapple chunks with juice
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pineapple BBQ Sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup
3/4 cup reserved pineapple chunks
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
juice of 1 lime

To serve:
6-inch taco size tortillas
cilantro, chopped
goat cheese, crumbled
scallions, chopped

If using a slow cooker, place the pork in the slow cooker. If using the oven, preheat to 225 degrees and place the pork in a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the juice from the canned pineapple, the soy sauce, apricot preserves, garlic powder, and black pepper. Whisk to combine and pour over the pork. Reserve 3/4 cup of the pineapple chunks to use in the BBQ sauce. You can place the rest in the slow cooker/Dutch oven with the pork or save in the fridge to serve with the tacos. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Remove pork from the oven and shred the meat. Discard all the liquid and return pork to the crock pot/Dutch oven. Cover until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the BBQ sauce in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. Pour over the pork and gently mix to coat.

Serve the pork with the tortillas. Top with cilantro, goat cheese, and scallions.