Ancho-Roasted Pork Belly and Pineapple Tacos with Jalapeño-Avocado Crema

Prepare for the best Taco Tuesday ever with these pork belly and pineapple tacos.  They’re sweet!  They’re spicy! They’re rich and fatty (in the best way possible) while being topped with all the fresh, bright accoutrements that all tacos need.These are actually a re-creation of my very favorite tacos from a local restaurant, with a little help from a recipe I found on here on sharedappetite.com.  The tacos have pork belly and pineapple sitting atop a spicy jalapeño crema, with radishes, cabbage, cheese, cilantro and red onion; these are a close approximation to the original that I love so much.If you’ve never had pork belly, it’s like all the best parts about bacon and pulled pork combined into these meaty, tender cubes.  The fat melts into a super juicy morsel atop the tender meat when you eat it.  How can I explain this without sounding like a total weirdo?  It’s just not possible.

There is a good deal of fat that you will most likely be consuming if you’re making a recipe with pork belly and it can take some getting used to if you’re not familiar with the texture.  IN NO WAY IS IT UNPLEASANT.  If that’s not really your jam, perhaps using pork shoulder or something slightly leaner would be more up your alley.  Me, I’ll stick with the rich, fatty pork belly all day.The pork marinates overnight in sugar, salt and ancho chile powder to really give it flavor.  It’s cubed into small, bite-sized pieces, which helps speed up the cooking time.  We’re going to blast it in a really hot oven to start to render some fat and crisp up the pieces of pork, then reduce the heat to get the meat meltingly tender.  All in all, the pork cooks for a little over an hour and comes out absolutely perfect, ready to be stuffed in a taco.  The pineapple soaks up some of the pork juices and fat and spice from the ancho chile powder and is the perfect sweet balance to the rich, spicy flavors.

I love to serve it with a cool yet spicy jalapeño-avocado crema and all the crisp veggies (i.e. cabbage, radishes, pickled red onions).  A little cilantro and queso fresco are all you need to finish!

Now I will proceed to soak up all of my Game of Thrones-related tears with these tacos-both because it’s over and because I’m unsatisfied with the conclusion.  What will I do with all my free time now?!  Perhaps I’ll have a social life, or cook more, or start walking my dogs more regularly…most likely, I’ll find a new TV obsession and spend all my free time contemplating every word, action, theory, hidden clue and possible outcome.  For now, I have tacos.

Ancho-Roasted Pork Belly and Pineapple Tacos with Jalapeño-Avocado Crema

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• Author: Amanda
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings

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Description

Rich and spicy tender pork belly are stuffed to the brim in tacos with sweet pineapple, jalapeño-avocado crema and all the crisp veggies and taco toppings you need to complete the package!

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Ingredients

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• 4 pounds boneless skinless pork belly, cut into 2 x 2-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1/4 cup ancho chili powder, plus extra for the pineapple
• One 8-ounce can diced pineapple, drained or 8 ounces of fresh pineapple, cut into small cubes

JALAPEÑO-AVOCADO CREMA:

• 1 jalapeño
• 1 avocado, pitted and peeled
• 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
• Juice of 1 lime
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

TO SERVE:

• 8 to 12 tortillas, warmed
• Pickled Red Onions, optional
• Shredded fresh cabbage
• Crumbled Queso Fresco
• Chopped cilantro, chopped white onion and radishes, cut into matchsticks
• Lime wedges

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Instructions

1. Place the pork belly in a baking dish.  Combine the granulated sugar and salt; rub this mixture all over the pork.  Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 450°.
3. Remove the pork from the refrigerator, pat dry and discard any liquid that has accumulated.  Toss with the 1/4 cup ancho chili powder to coat.  Return the pork to the baking dish and transfer to the oven.  Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 275° and roast for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, until the pork is golden-brown and tender.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.  This is easiest to cut if it’s cold, so you can prepare this ahead and refrigerate until cold; alternatively, you can cut this warm but it won’t be as clean-looking.  Cube the pork belly into small, bite-sized pieces.  Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the pork belly; cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pork is warmed through and slightly crisp and golden-brown all over.  Add the drained pineapple and toss to coat.  Season with additional ancho chili powder, if desired.
5. To make the avocado crema: Char the jalapeño until blackened all over a gas burner or under the broiler.  Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; allow to sit for at least 15 minutes, then remove the stem, seeds and blackened skin.  Coarsely chop.  Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary.
6. To serve: place some of the jalapeño-avocado crema in the bottom of a tortilla, top with the pork and pineapple and any other toppings you like.

Notes

Inspiration: Pork Belly Tacos with Ancho Chili Roasted Pineapple and Avocado on sharedappetite.com

• Category: Pork, Latin-American