At this weekend’s Tacolandia, attendees will be able to sample tacos made by chefs from all over Houston. But what if you go home from the event wanting to make the tacos you sampled? Thanks to Tabasco, a sponsor of the event, we have the recipe that will be used by Houston’s own “localebrity” chef, Hugo Ortega, at Tacolandia’s Tabasco booth.
Try your hand at the recipe below, developed by Ortega specifically for Tacolandia. If the idea of making 20 tacos-worth of roasted pork seems a little daunting, keep in mind that whatever meat you don’t eat now can be frozen and kept for a future Taco Tuesday, tailgate party or thrown on a salad or stuffed into enchiladas.
Tabasco Roasted Pork Shoulder Tacos
Created by chef Hugo Ortega
1 cup corn oil
1/2 cup garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 lb. pork shoulder
1/3 cup Tabasco sauce
20 fresh corn tortillas
METHOD For mojo de ajo: Heat corn oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the garlic. Cook 10 minutes while stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool completely. Refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 275°F. Combine mojo de ajo (oil and garlic) and Tabasco sauce and rub mixture onto pork shoulder, getting into every nook and cranny. Reserve some sauce to finish the dish. Place pork shoulder in a roasting pan, cover with aluminum foil and cook for about 2 1/2 hours, until meat is very tender. Remove foil, increase oven temperature to 425°F and roast until crisped and brown, about 15 minutes.
Remove pork shoulder from oven and brush with more mojo de ajo and Tabasco sauce mixture. Allow to rest for 30 minutes before serving. Then, using two forks or your fingers, shred the pork.
Build tacos by adding roasted pork shoulder to warm fresh corn tortillas and layer on your favorite toppings, such as cilantro, sour cream, raw onions, diced tomatoes and avocado. Makes 20 2.5 oz. tacos.