Salsa Verde Braised Pork Tostadas
This delicious braised pork recipe slow cooks pork shoulder in a roasted tomatillo salsa for a flavourful, almost caramelized shreddable pork perfect for tacos, tostadas, burritos, or taco salad bowls.This recipe should serve 4-6 people.
Equipment
- 6 qt enameled cast iron pot OR slow cooker
- High-Powered Blender with narrow pitcher attachment
Ingredients
Salsa Verde Braised Pork
- 2 lbs pork shoulder/butt roast
- kosher salt
- 1-2 tbsp lard
- 1 pint roasted tomatillo salsa ~1 ¾ cup / 14 oz
Tostadas
- 12 corn tortillas* or store bought tostadas
- oil for frying
Avocado Crema
- 1 medium avocado peeled and pitted
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 jalapeño roughly chopped
- 6-8 cilantro stems
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1-2 tbsp water to blend
Pico de Gallo
- 2 medium roma tomatoes seeded and chopped finely
- ¼-½ small white onion chopped finely
- ½ serrano pepper seeded if desired and minced
- ½ lime juiced
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
Optional Toppings
- lettuce shredded
- red or white onion thinly sliced
- cojita or queso fresco crumbled
- radishes thinly sliced
Directions
Braised Salsa Verde Pork
- Cut the pork into 1 ½" - 2" pieces and season both sides generously with kosher salt. Preheat the oven to 325℉ with a rack on the lowest shelf and room to place your pot.
- Preheat a large enamelled dutch oven over medium-high to high heat. Once it's very hot, add the lard to the pot and swirl it around until it melts and heats. Add in half of the pork (do not overcrowd) and let it cook, undisturbed for 4-5 minutes until brown. Flip and repeat on the other side. Set aside in a clean bowl and repeat with the second half of the pork.
- Add the reserved pork back into the pot and adjust so that it almost fits in a single layer. Cover with a can of tomatillo salsa. Cover with a lid and set the dutch oven in the preheated oven on the lowest rack. Cook for 3 hours. See notes for stove top and slow cooker instructions.
- Check on the pork in the last hour to make sure it doesn't need any water. Depending on your lid it may lose more liquid. It will crisp up a bit on the sides due to the fat content of the pork, but should not burn. Monitor in the last 30 minutes.
Fry the Tostadas
- Heat a neutral, high-heat oil over medium-high to high (depending on your stove) for 5 minutes. I used about a ½" of oil in a large pot to save oil.
- You'll know the oil is hot enough once you dip the corner of the tortilla in the oil and it bubbles up. Place the tortilla in gently and cook for 60-90 seconds per side, using metal tongs to flip, until lightly browned and it is fully crisped up. If there's still a bit of give with metal tongs just flip it again and give it another 30 seconds.
- Remove to a wire rack and allow them to cool and drain excess oil.
Avocado Crema
- In a high-walled, narrow base blender (the wider bases require more contents/liquid to blend properly), add in the avocado, sour cream, juice of half a lime, salt, jalapeño, and cilantro. You may need 1-2 tbsp of water to help it blend.
- Blend on low until everything is mostly broken down before increasing the speed slowly to medium to make a smooth sauce. If the blade starts free-spinning (no longer blending), stop, scrape down the sides a bit and stir, then set the speed lower and increase gradually again.
- Remove to a small bowl and set aside, covered, until serving.
Pico de Gallo
- Finely chop all the ingredients (onion, tomato, cilantro, and serrano pepper) evenly so there is a good distribution of ingredients with every bite.
- Add the salt and lime juice and stir to combine. Ideally make this ahead of time and let it sit for 15 – 30 minutes before serving so the flavours have time to mingle.
Assembly
- Spread 1-2 tbsp avocado crema on the tostada, top with about ⅓ cup braised pork. Add any toppings you desire and enjoy! If using store bought tostadas, only assemble them as you eat them so they don't get soggy.
Notes
Stove-Top: Recipe can be done on the stove instead of in the oven. If on the stove, add 1/2 cup of chicken or pork broth and make sure it's over very very low heat and check on occasionally to make sure the liquid does not evapourate too quickly or it boils too rapidly.
Slow Cooker: In the slow cooker, either 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. If the meat is still tough and not shreddable, continue to cook until it is fork tender.
Nutrition Per Tostada, no optional toppings: Calories 317 kcal | Carbohydrates 14.8 g | Protein 19.7 g | Fat 19.9 g | Sodium 778 mg | Potassium 574 mg | Fiber 2.8 g | VitaminA 47.5 μg | Calcium: 52.6 mg | Iron: 1.8 mg | Copper 0.2 mg