Description
The brilliant quick pulled pork is adapted from Low-So Good by Jessica Goldman Foung. Note that this recipe is intentionally low-sodium, hence the title of her book. If sodium isn’t an issue for you, you can season the pork, quinoa and crema with a modest amount of sea salt (see note)!
Ingredients
- FOR THE PULLED PORK:
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut, Olive Or Vegetable Oil
- ½ Small Yellow Onion, Diced
- 1 pound Pork Tenderloin, Fat Trimmed And Cut Into 4 Equal Pieces
- 1 teaspoon (salt-free) Chinese Five-spice Powder
- ½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper (I Used Cayenne For More Kick)
- 1-½ cup Water
- ¼ cups Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Apricot Jam
- FOR THE QUINOA:
- 1-½ cup Quinoa
- 2 cups Water
- FOR THE CREMA:
- 1 cup Kefir
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 Jalapeno, Remove Ribs And Seeds
- 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
- FOR THE BURRITO BOWLS:
- 2 Large Shallots, Thinly Sliced (see Note)
- 2 Avocadoes, Sliced
- 1 cup Cilantro Leaves, For Garnish
Preparation
In a medium heavy-bottomed lidded saucepan or Dutch oven, warm the oil over high heat. Add the onion and pork and cook, stirring the onions and turning the pork frequently until the meat is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the five spice, garlic powder, pepper, water, vinegar, and jam to the pot. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover the pan, turn the heat to medium-low, and braise, turning once, until you can pull the pork apart with two forks, about 30 minutes.
While the pork is braising, make the quinoa. Combine quinoa with water in a medium lidded pot or saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 17 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is pearly. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
Transfer the pork to a medium mixing bowl and shred with two forks. Add back to the pan and continue to let the liquid reduce, stirring occasionally, 10–15 minutes.
For the crema, in a small food processor, combine kefir, garlic, jalapeno and lime juice. Puree until smooth. Season to taste with sea salt, if using.
Assemble the bowls. Divide the quinoa, pork, avocado and shallots between bowls. Drizzle with the crema and garnish with cilantro.
Notes:
1. The pork and quinoa can be made up to 4 days in advance and kept in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
2. If you don’t mind one more step, doing a quick pickle on the shallots is a delicious way to upgrade them, especially if you don’t like the flavor of raw onion. Toss them with 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and let them sit for 10 minutes while the pork is cooking. You can also make up to 2 weeks in advance.
3. If you don’t have Kefir or can’t find it, use 1/2 cup Greek yogurt thinned with 1/2 cup water.
4. If sodium is not a dietary concern, add 1 teaspoon sea salt to the pork (along with the other spices), 1/2 teaspoon to the quinoa (along with the water), and 1/4 teaspoon to the dressing.
