Café Rio Style Shredded Pork Tacos/Salad

(Our Best Bites)                                                          Lauri Lund

4 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast                                   2(10 oz) cans enchilada sauce

½ tsp kosher salt                                                                     1 cup of brown sugar, divided

¼ tsp black pepper                                                                  ½ cup salsa

2 tsp chili powder                                                                   ½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp onion powder                                                                 ¼ cup of apple juice

1-2 Tbsp veg oil

1.       Trim the visible fat from the roast and sprinkle with salt, pepper, chili powder, and onion powder.    Use your hands to massage the spices all over the sides of the meat. 

2.       Heat the veg. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sear the pork roast on all sides quickly to seal in the juices. 

3.       Combine the enchilada sauce, 2/3 cup of brown sugar, salsa, Worcestershire sauce, and apple juice and the pork in a crock pot, cover and cook on low for 7 hours with lid on the entire time.

4.       Remove pork and shred, discarding any pieces of fat, put pork back in the crock pot.  Add the additional 1/3 cup of  brown sugar to the pork and turn heat to high.  Simmer with lid off for 30 minutes.

Serve with black beans, rice, guacamole, cheese, tortilla strips, warmed fresh tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, and Creamy Cilantro-lime Ranch dressing.

Creamy Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise                                                                    2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

½ cup milk or buttermilk                                                         ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro

1 lime, juiced (about 2 Tbsp)                                                  ¼ cup green salsa (La Costena or Herdez)

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix                         hot sauce (like Cholula, or Tabasco) to taste

(ignore the package directions)

Combine mayo, milk, lime juice, and the contents of the packet of ranch dressing in a blender.  Add garlic, cilantro, and green salsa and blend to thoroughly mix all the ingredients.   Season with hot sauce, if desired.  If possible refrigerate for several hours to allow the dressing to thicken and the flavors to meld.