Pulled Pork Tacos

Oh my goodness, I still find it hard to believe that something this delicious can still be so healthy! Will and I love shredded Mexican pork, but I've kind of had a hard time re-creating it in the past. This was one of the simplest recipes I've found for pulled pork tacos, but I'm convinced that the winning ingredient is the unsweetened cocoa powder. Don't ask me why. All I know is that between the two of us, Will and I polished off this dinner with only minimal leftovers to spare. Will couldn't stop raving about how delicious it was, and for a dinner that required hardly any preparation, I am more than willing to make this again in the future! One warning that is mentioned in the recipe but I would like to reiterate; avoid the temptation of lifting the lid on your slow cooker to frequently check on the pork. Every time you allow the heat to escape, that tacks on another 1/2 hour of cooking time.
Source: Real Simple, February 2009

Ingredients:

• 2  cups  store-bought salsa, plus more for serving
• 2  tablespoons  chili powder
• 2  tablespoons  dried oregano
• 2  tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa powder
• Kosher salt
• 1  2 1/2-pound boneless pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
• 18  corn tortillas
• 1/2  cup  fresh cilantro sprigs
• 3/4  cup  sour cream
• 1  lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, and 1 teaspoon salt.

2. Trim the pork of excess fat.

3. Add the pork and turn to coat. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.

4. Twenty minutes before serving, heat oven to 350° F. Stack the tortillas, wrap them in foil, and bake until warm, about 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred the pork and stir into the cooking liquid. Serve with the tortillas, cilantro, sour cream, lime, and extra salsa.

Tip: When using a slow cooker, resist the urge to lift the lid until the dish has cooked the minimum amount of time specified in the recipe. Each peek allows heat to escape and can increase cooking time by as much as a half hour.