There is a little taco stand in Newnan, Georgia where I live. They serve authentic al pastor tacos, and they have everything from you’re typical beef and pork to brisket and tongue. It is one of my wife’s favorite places to stop and eat on a weekend.
I’ve always been the guy in front of you in line at Chipolte or Moes who orders a burrito and tells them to put everything they’ve got on it…it’s just what I do. And I’ve always marveled at the simplicity of the food that comes out of this taco stand. Tortilla, meat, cilantro and onion. They give you a lime and a bit of sauce to top it off with. My wife always orders the pork and pineapple tacos, and so her order inspired me to try my own, with a wild game twist of course. I used a tenderloin from a large 200 pound sow I killed last year on Georgia public land. The marinade for the meat really sweetens it up, especially when you allow it to caramelize during the cooking process and it balances out nicely with the acid and salt from the rest of the dish. Top it off with some fresh lime juice to really pull the flavor together!
Wild Hog & Pineapple Street Tacos
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 lb Wild Hog Backstrap or Tenderloin cubed or sliced thin
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar packed
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil extra virgin
- 2 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 cup Cilantro finely chopped
Tacos
- 3 Whole Limes
- 1 cup Pineapple cut into quarter inch cubes
- 1 cup White Onion finely chopped
- 1 cup Cilantro finely chopped
- 10 Corn Tortillas
Finishing Sauce
- 1 cup Avocado Salsa
- 1 cup Sour Cream
Instructions
Building the Marinade
- In a non-reactive container, add Olive Oil, Soy Sauce, Brown Sugar, Garlic Powder, Cilantro and juice from 1 whole Lime.
- With a fork, whisk all ingredients together until the mixture resembles a fine paste.
- Add your Wild Hog backstrap and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Remove periodically and shake the container to ensure the meat is all coated with the marinade.
Cooking The Meat
- In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, brown the pork. The brown sugar in the marinade should be allowed to caramelize and form a crust on the outside of the meat. Once fully cooked, set aside for use in the tacos.
Pre-Taco Construction
- In a separate bowl, combine the white onion and cilantro. Add the juice from 1 lime and mix thoroughly.
- In another bowl, combine the equal parts Avocado Salsa and Sour Cream. Mix until the two become one. This will be your finishing sauce. Give it a taste…its good!
Constructing the Masterpiece
- Lay down one warmed Corn Tortilla and top with your browned Wild Hog Backstrap.
- Layer on the cilantro-onion-lime mixture
- Add diced pineapples
- Top this all with your finishing sauce
- Slice the remaining lime to serve with the tacos. Enjoy!
