The Masumoto family, after four generations of heirloom peach farming, shares their favorite traditional and inventive recipes in The Perfect Peach: Recipes and Stories from the Masumoto Family Farm (Ten Speed Press, 2013). Any peach lover will be satisfied with charming stories from the farm paired with information on all things peachy and beautiful photography. This recipe for Pork tacos comes from chapter three, “At the Table.”
You can purchase this book from the Capper’s Farmer store: The Perfect Peach
More from The Perfect Peach:
Old-Fashioned Peach Pie Recipe
Slow-Cooked Pork Tacos Recipe
Serves 4 to 6
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 (2 1/2-pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 yellow onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup water
1 to 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, or 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (I like to use Pacifico or Negra Modelo)
4 firm to soft peaches, peeled, halved, and pitted
8 to 12 small corn tortillas, warmed, for serving
1 1/2 to 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
2 limes, cut into wedges
Peach and Nectarine Salsa (recipe below), for serving (optional)
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the pork and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until browned. Transfer the pork to a slow cooker.
Add the cumin, onion, and garlic to the same skillet off the heat and warm, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Pour the water into the skillet to loosen any spices or browned bits stuck to the pan bottom. Pour the contents of the skillet over the meat.
Add the chile(s), oregano, salt, beer, and peaches to the slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. The meat is done when it easily falls apart with the gentle tug of a fork. Carefully shred the meat with two forks. Discard the juices, onions, and peaches or cool and store in the refrigerator for pork soup stock or other use.
To assemble each taco, layer 2 tortillas on top of each other and place about 1/4 cup of the meat in a mound on the tortillas, extending it across the middle. Add a little cabbage, a scoop of salsa, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve warm.
Peach and Nectarine Salsa
Makes 3 cups
1 large or 2 medium peaches with give, peeled, halved, pitted, and diced
2 nectarines, pitted and diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, diced (yellow or green onions may be substituted)
1 small-medium jalapeño chile, seeded and finely diced
Juice of 1 lime (1 to 2 tablespoons)
Chili powder, for seasoning
Salt and freshly ground pepper
In a bowl, combine the peach(es), nectarines, cilantro, bell pepper, onion and chile. Drizzle with the lime juice and season lightly with the chili powder, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately with your favorite dish.
Variation: To turn this salsa into a salad, add diced avocado, cucumber, jicama, mango, and/or papaya and serve on a bed of lettuce.
Cook’s Note: Be careful when working with jalapeño chiles, as they contain compounds that can burn your skin. You may want to wear rubber gloves (or slip plastic bags over your hands) when working with the cut chiles to avoid burning your fingers. Also make sure you do not touch your eyes, nose, or other sensitive areas when handling chiles. (I once accidentally put in my contact lenses with jalapeño-laced fingers and my eyes burned for hours!)
Reprinted with permission from The Perfect Peach by Marcy, Nikiko, and David Mas Masumoto, copyright © 2013. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. Buy this book from our store: The Perfect Peach
