Shredded Chipotle Pork Tacos with Roasted Green Onions

This is what my husband, Sterling, will be making for our Easter family dinner this coming Sunday (along with a smoked turkey for sandwiches).  He has been making this recipe for several years and our family just loves it.  WARNING:  it does pack a bit of heat/spice, but that's what makes it so darn good.  You can adjust the chipolte peppers to cater to your own "heat" level.  And what is really surprising is the vinegar in this recipe.  It really gives the pork that "something" extra in flavortown and tenderness.  And we hardly ever add the green onions, as our topping of choice is always homemade salsa, so there is no need for adding onions. But if that is something you want to try (and as it is part of the original recipe), go ahead and do whatever floats your boat.

INGREDIENTS


6 cups water

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut in 2-inch pieces

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup cider vinegar, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

3 chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped and mashed with a fork

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

16 soft corn tortillas

16 green onions, trimmed

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt to taste



PREPARATION:

Place 6 cups water in Dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat. Add pork, the sliced onion, 3 tablespoons of the vinegar and salt. Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover partially and simmer 1-1/2 hours. Remove pork with slotted spoon and cool slightly; reserve 1 cup cooking water. Shred pork with 2 forks and set aside.

Place a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot, add oil and chopped onion and cook 3 minutes; add garlic and cook 15 seconds. Add tomato sauce, chipotles, cumin, remaining 1 tablespoon of the vinegar. shredded pork and 1 cup cooking water. Cook 1 to 2 minutes to heat thoroughly. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 10 minutes to absorb flavors. Place about 1/4 cup pork mixture and a roasted green onions (recipe follows) inside a roasted corn tortilla (recipe follows).

To roast green onions:  Preheat oven to 425°F. Place green onions on a baking sheet, drizzle oil evenly over all and toss gently to coat. Arrange in a single layer and bake 10 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle with salt.

To roast tortillas:  Char tortillas over burner or grill about 15 seconds on each side or until lightly charred.