Pork Tacos With Sourdough Tortillas

This post is sponsored by the Missouri Pork Producers Association. All opinions and recipes are my own.

These incredibly delicious pork tacos start with tender, juicy pork shoulder that is piled onto soft homemade sourdough tortillas and topped with white onion, pickled red onion, fresh parsley, and a squeeze of lemon. Rich, tangy, fresh, and packed with flavor.

The best part is that the pork cooks in the pressure cooker while you make the tortillas, so the entire meal can be ready in about an hour and a half.

You can keep the tacos simple or load them with your favorite toppings. Either way, the combination of warm homemade tortillas and tender shredded pork is SO good.

This recipe is part of my partnership with the Missouri Pork Producers Association, and I am using boneless pork shoulder, also called pork butt.

Pork shoulder is such a great cut for this type of recipe because the fat and connective tissue keep the meat juicy as it cooks.

The pressure cooker does an amazing job of tenderizing it quickly, so instead of cooking pork for hours, you end up with meat that practically falls apart with a fork in a fraction of the time.

Ingredients For Pork Tacos With Sourdough Tortillas

You only need a few basic ingredients for both the sourdough tortillas and the pork.

For the Sourdough Tortillas

• All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour keeps the tortillas soft and tender while still giving them enough structure to roll very thin.
• Baking Powder: Because we are using sourdough discard rather than active starter, baking powder gives the tortillas a little lift and keeps them from feeling dense.
• Salt: A small amount of salt makes a huge difference in a simple tortilla dough.
• Butter: Butter adds flavor and tenderness that helps keep the tortillas soft and flexible.
• Sourdough Starter or Discard: You can use unfed sourdough starter straight from the refrigerator. This recipe uses a whole cup, which makes it a great recipe when your discard jar is getting a little out of control.
• Warm Water: Warm water helps hydrate the flour and creates a softer, more pliable dough that's easier to roll into thin tortillas.

For the Pork

• Boneless Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt: This cut has enough fat and connective tissue to become incredibly tender in the pressure cooker without drying out.
• Seasonings: salt, black pepper, dried oregano, garlic powder and dried parsley.
• Broth: I recommend low-sodium chicken broth to add moisture and a little extra savory flavor while giving the pressure cooker the liquid it needs to come to pressure.
• Browned Onions: Cooking the onions until golden before adding them to the pork brings out their natural sweetness and adds a deeper, more savory flavor to the cooking juices.

See recipe card for quantities.

Equipment Needed To Make Pork Tacos With Sourdough Tortillas

You don't need anything complicated for these tacos, but having the pork cooking while you work on the tortillas makes the process really efficient.

• Pressure Cooker: An electric pressure cooker makes pork shoulder tender in a fraction of the time it would take using a traditional slow cooking method. If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can use either:
  • a slow cooker: cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. A slow cooker, especially on LOW, heats much more gradually and is designed to tenderize meat slowly over several hours.
  • a regular heavy-bottomed pot such as a Dutch oven: In a covered pot on the stovetop, simmer gently over low heat for about 2½-3½ hours, adding a little more broth as needed, until the pork is very tender and shreds easily with a fork. A covered pot that is gently simmering keeps the cooking liquid close to 200-212°F, so the pork's collagen breaks down faster than using a slow cooker.
• Large Mixing Bowl: For mixing and kneading the tortilla dough.
• Kitchen Scale: Especially helpful for weighing the sourdough discard and dividing the tortilla dough evenly.
• Rolling Pin: You want the tortillas nice and thin before they hit the skillet.
• Cast-Iron or Heavy Skillet: Use it first to sear the pork and build extra flavor before pressure cooking, then use the same skillet to cook the tortillas.
• Tongs: Helpful for flipping the tortillas as they cook. I used my hands, but be carefull! they are really hot!
• Clean Kitchen Towel: Wrap the tortillas in the towel as they come off the skillet. The trapped steam keeps them warm and flexible until you're ready to assemble the tacos.

Key Steps To Make Pork Tacos With Sourdough Tortillas

Follow these steps along with everything detailed in the recipe card for soft sourdough tortillas and tender pressure-cooked pork.

Storage Tips for Pork Tacos With Sourdough Tortillas

I recommend storing the pork and tortillas separately rather than storing assembled tacos. This keeps the tortillas from becoming soggy and makes everything much easier to reheat.