Description
Hillbilly tacos bring southern comfort to classic Mexican street cuisine with a rustic twist. Hearty ingredients and bold flavors combine for a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 4–6 pounds pork shoulder roast
- 1/4 cup store bought or homemade pork rub
- 12 ounces (355 milliliters) Dr Pepper (Coca Cola or root beer work too)
- 1 tablespoon hickory liquid smoke
Coleslaw Ingredients:
- 2 (14 ounce/397 grams) bags coleslaw mix
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or yellow mustard
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated onion (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
Seasoning and Serving Ingredients:
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Corn or flour tortillas (enough for serving; you may need more for doubling up if using corn tortillas)
- 1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the pulled pork by rinsing the pork shoulder and patting it dry. Thoroughly coat the meat with pork rub, ensuring complete coverage. Enhance with salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to a slow cooker and pour Dr. Pepper around the meat. Add liquid smoke evenly. Cook on low for 8-10 hours until meat becomes incredibly tender.
- Once cooking is complete, carefully remove the pork from the slow cooker. Discard cooking liquid, reserving a small amount if needed for moisture. Extract the bone and meticulously shred the meat using two forks or specialized shredding tools. Trim away excess fat during the shredding process.
- Create the coleslaw by combining coleslaw mix in a large mixing bowl. In a separate container, whisk together sugar, milk, mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, grated onion, salt, and pepper until smooth and well integrated.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the coleslaw mix, stirring thoroughly to ensure complete coating. Allow the mixture to marinate for approximately one hour to develop optimal flavor. Gently stir before serving.
- Assemble the tacos by warming tortillas in a dry skillet until slightly charred or heated through. Layer the shredded pulled pork onto the tortillas. Top generously with the prepared coleslaw. Finish by drizzling BBQ sauce according to personal preference.
Notes
- Meat Selection Choose a well-marbled pork shoulder for maximum tenderness and flavor, which helps prevent dry meat after slow cooking.
- Liquid Enhancement Dr. Pepper adds subtle sweetness and helps tenderize the meat, creating a unique depth of flavor that distinguishes these tacos from traditional recipes.
- Spice Customization Adjust the pork rub by adding smoked paprika or chili powder for extra heat, or reduce spiciness for sensitive palates by using milder seasonings.
- Low-Carb Adaptation Swap tortillas with large lettuce leaves for a keto-friendly version that maintains the delicious pulled pork and coleslaw combination.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg