"Plastered" Pork Tacos with Apple-Jalapeno Salsa

I was in the mood for some pork tacos, but I was looking for a bit of a change of pace from the normal carnitas-style I would usually make, which led to this wild and crazy experiment. The "plaster" coating traps all the moisture and flavor of the pork in while it bakes, creating the best pork taco I've had in a while.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 3 hr
• Total Time: 3 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 496 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, or more as needed
• 1 large egg white
• ½ cup kosher salt
• 2 pinches cayenne pepper
• ¾ cup water, or more as needed
• 1 (3 1/2) pound bone-in pork shoulder roast
• 2 cups finely diced Honeycrisp apple
• ⅔ cup finely diced white onion
• ½ cup seeded and finely diced jalapeno pepper
• 2 limes, juiced, or to taste (Optional)
• 12 flour tortillas, warmed
• 2 limes, cut into wedges, or as needed (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Step 2

Season pork all over with rosemary and freshly ground black pepper.

Step 3

Stir flour, salt, egg white, and water together in a large bowl until very smooth. Adjust with more flour it's too runny. Add pork shoulder and coat thoroughly.

Step 4

Spread a few spoons of excess "plaster" into a baking dish or pan. Add, fat-side up. Use a spoon to re-apply plaster to any spots that need it, as well as to the top.

Step 5

Roast in the center of the preheated oven until the surface is dry and hard and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 185 degrees F (85 degrees C), about 3 1/2 hours.

Step 6

Let cool for 15 minutes to 1 hour. Break pork up into big chunks and transfer to plate. Add some of the pan juices that accumulated at the bottom of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.

Step 7

Combine apple, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, lime juice, and cayenne in a bowl for salsa.

Step 8

Slice chilled pork into strips and then cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Step 9

Heat a dry, nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Brown pork in the pan, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve pork on warm tortillas with the salsa and lime wedges.