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Prep Time:30 minsAdditional Time:7 hrsTotal Time:7 hrs 30 minsServings:6Yield:12 tacosJump to Nutrition Facts
Prep Time:30 minsAdditional Time:7 hrsTotal Time:7 hrs 30 minsServings:6Yield:12 tacos
Prep Time:30 mins
Prep Time:
30 mins
Additional Time:7 hrs
Additional Time:
7 hrs
Total Time:7 hrs 30 mins
Total Time:
7 hrs 30 mins
Servings:6
Servings:
6
Yield:12 tacos
Yield:
12 tacos
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Jump to recipe
ThesePork & Pineapple Tacoswill transport you to a warm, sandy beach. Lean pork loin gets a flavor boost from spicy chili powder, smoky paprika and woody black pepper that’s toned down a bit with brown sugar. Cooking the pork in apple juice over several hours ensures a fork-tender result. Toasty corn tortillas house the pork topped with a salsa made with juicy pineapple, cool cucumber, sweet red onion and tart apple cider vinegar. Antioxidant-rich red cabbage finishes these tacos off with an amazing crunch. Feel free to add cilantro for more freshness and jalapeño for a bigger kick of heat to the salsa if you’d like. Keep reading for expert tips, including how to cook the pork if you don’t have a slow cooker.
Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen
These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!
Nutrition Notes
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)Ingredients1tablespoonchili powder2teaspoonssmoked paprika1teaspoonpacked light brown sugar¾teaspoonsalt, divided½teaspoongarlic powder½teaspoonground pepper1(2 pound)pork loin roast, trimmed⅓cupapple juice½cuplime juice2cupsfinely diced fresh pineapple (about 1/2 small pineapple)1cupfinely diced seeded cucumber¼cupfinely diced red onion2tablespoonscider vinegar126-inch corn tortillas, warmed2cupsshredded red cabbage
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
1tablespoonchili powder
2teaspoonssmoked paprika
1teaspoonpacked light brown sugar
¾teaspoonsalt, divided
½teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoonground pepper
1(2 pound)pork loin roast, trimmed
⅓cupapple juice
½cuplime juice
2cupsfinely diced fresh pineapple (about 1/2 small pineapple)
1cupfinely diced seeded cucumber
¼cupfinely diced red onion
2tablespoonscider vinegar
126-inch corn tortillas, warmed
2cupsshredded red cabbage
DirectionsCombine chili powder, paprika, brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl.Place pork in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork. Pour apple juice around the pork. Cover and cook on Low until the pork is fork-tender, 6 to 7 hours.Meanwhile, combine lime juice and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Add pineapple, cucumber and onion; toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.Skim off visible fat from the juices in the slow cooker. Using 2 forks, shred the meat. Stir in vinegar.To assemble tacos: Place a generous 1/4 cup pulled pork on each tortilla and add a drizzle of the cooking liquid. Top with about 2 1/2 Tbsp. shredded cabbage and about 3 Tbsp. of the pineapple salsa.Frequently Asked QuestionsThe cut of meat comes from two different areas of the animal. Pork loin, also known as top loin roast or center cut pork loin roast, will tenderize with low heat and slow cooking. On the other hand, pork tenderloin is naturally tender and cooks quickly at higher temperatures.There are so many ways to enjoy the rest of a pineapple. It can add a refreshingly sweet flavor to stir-fries, shrimp and scallop skewers,smoothies,agua fresca(fruit-flavored water), daiquiris, ice pops, salads,coleslaws, salsas, rice, cakes and cobblers—or simply snack on it.You can use a box grater toshred cabbageeasily, but the simplest method is to use a mandoline. First, cut the cabbage in half lengthwise through the stem end and then cut each half into wedges. Next, slice off and discard the thick stem at an angle. At this point, the wedges are ready to be placed on the mandoline and safely shredded while holding the blade guard.To quickly and easily warm corn tortillas, moisten a couple of paper towels with water, wrap the towels around the tortillas and place them into a food-grade plastic bag (without sealing it completely). Then, put the package into the microwave and heat on high power for 1 minute. Let them be for about a minute to avoid burning your hands.Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2020
Directions
Combine chili powder, paprika, brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl.Place pork in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork. Pour apple juice around the pork. Cover and cook on Low until the pork is fork-tender, 6 to 7 hours.Meanwhile, combine lime juice and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Add pineapple, cucumber and onion; toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.Skim off visible fat from the juices in the slow cooker. Using 2 forks, shred the meat. Stir in vinegar.To assemble tacos: Place a generous 1/4 cup pulled pork on each tortilla and add a drizzle of the cooking liquid. Top with about 2 1/2 Tbsp. shredded cabbage and about 3 Tbsp. of the pineapple salsa.Frequently Asked QuestionsThe cut of meat comes from two different areas of the animal. Pork loin, also known as top loin roast or center cut pork loin roast, will tenderize with low heat and slow cooking. On the other hand, pork tenderloin is naturally tender and cooks quickly at higher temperatures.There are so many ways to enjoy the rest of a pineapple. It can add a refreshingly sweet flavor to stir-fries, shrimp and scallop skewers,smoothies,agua fresca(fruit-flavored water), daiquiris, ice pops, salads,coleslaws, salsas, rice, cakes and cobblers—or simply snack on it.You can use a box grater toshred cabbageeasily, but the simplest method is to use a mandoline. First, cut the cabbage in half lengthwise through the stem end and then cut each half into wedges. Next, slice off and discard the thick stem at an angle. At this point, the wedges are ready to be placed on the mandoline and safely shredded while holding the blade guard.To quickly and easily warm corn tortillas, moisten a couple of paper towels with water, wrap the towels around the tortillas and place them into a food-grade plastic bag (without sealing it completely). Then, put the package into the microwave and heat on high power for 1 minute. Let them be for about a minute to avoid burning your hands.
Combine chili powder, paprika, brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl.
Place pork in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork. Pour apple juice around the pork. Cover and cook on Low until the pork is fork-tender, 6 to 7 hours.
Meanwhile, combine lime juice and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Add pineapple, cucumber and onion; toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Skim off visible fat from the juices in the slow cooker. Using 2 forks, shred the meat. Stir in vinegar.
To assemble tacos: Place a generous 1/4 cup pulled pork on each tortilla and add a drizzle of the cooking liquid. Top with about 2 1/2 Tbsp. shredded cabbage and about 3 Tbsp. of the pineapple salsa.
Frequently Asked QuestionsThe cut of meat comes from two different areas of the animal. Pork loin, also known as top loin roast or center cut pork loin roast, will tenderize with low heat and slow cooking. On the other hand, pork tenderloin is naturally tender and cooks quickly at higher temperatures.There are so many ways to enjoy the rest of a pineapple. It can add a refreshingly sweet flavor to stir-fries, shrimp and scallop skewers,smoothies,agua fresca(fruit-flavored water), daiquiris, ice pops, salads,coleslaws, salsas, rice, cakes and cobblers—or simply snack on it.You can use a box grater toshred cabbageeasily, but the simplest method is to use a mandoline. First, cut the cabbage in half lengthwise through the stem end and then cut each half into wedges. Next, slice off and discard the thick stem at an angle. At this point, the wedges are ready to be placed on the mandoline and safely shredded while holding the blade guard.To quickly and easily warm corn tortillas, moisten a couple of paper towels with water, wrap the towels around the tortillas and place them into a food-grade plastic bag (without sealing it completely). Then, put the package into the microwave and heat on high power for 1 minute. Let them be for about a minute to avoid burning your hands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cut of meat comes from two different areas of the animal. Pork loin, also known as top loin roast or center cut pork loin roast, will tenderize with low heat and slow cooking. On the other hand, pork tenderloin is naturally tender and cooks quickly at higher temperatures.
There are so many ways to enjoy the rest of a pineapple. It can add a refreshingly sweet flavor to stir-fries, shrimp and scallop skewers,smoothies,agua fresca(fruit-flavored water), daiquiris, ice pops, salads,coleslaws, salsas, rice, cakes and cobblers—or simply snack on it.
You can use a box grater toshred cabbageeasily, but the simplest method is to use a mandoline. First, cut the cabbage in half lengthwise through the stem end and then cut each half into wedges. Next, slice off and discard the thick stem at an angle. At this point, the wedges are ready to be placed on the mandoline and safely shredded while holding the blade guard.
To quickly and easily warm corn tortillas, moisten a couple of paper towels with water, wrap the towels around the tortillas and place them into a food-grade plastic bag (without sealing it completely). Then, put the package into the microwave and heat on high power for 1 minute. Let them be for about a minute to avoid burning your hands.
Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2020
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Nutrition Facts(per serving)306Calories5gFat31gCarbs35gProtein
Nutrition Facts(per serving)
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.
Carrie Myers, M.S.
andLinda Frahm
Linda Frahm
