Crispy and sweet maple peach pulled pork tacos with fresh peach salsa and charred corn. . .
What could be more summery than peach tacos?! We have so many ripe peaches around here in the summer (my and my daughter’s favorite fruit!), I’m always trying to think up new recipes with peaches.
Maple Peach Pulled Pork
The core of this taco recipe is the pork — it’s going to take about 6 hours to cook. You cannot rush this. The handful of times I have made this recipe and not enjoyed it happened when I had maybe 4 or 5 hours (result of forgotten or last minute change in plans), so I had to take the pork out early. Don’t underestimate the value of getting the pork all the way up to 195F internally. And it will take you about 6 hours for a 3.5 pound butt roast.
I usually make 3.5 pounds, which is enough for at least 2 meals (between me and my husband, our daughter, and our toddler – the baby isn’t eating chunks of meat yet). Usually we finish up about 8-9 tacos in one meal with all of us.
What is a pork butt roast? Does it need to be boneless?
Confusingly, the butt roast comes from the upper part of a pig’s shoulder. It has a high fat content which keeps the meat moist and tender despite the long cooking time. The term “butt” is an Old English term, used to refer to barrels/casks. Back in the American colonies, pork shoulders were often packed into these barrels. I guess we just haven’t moved on.
The pork butt doesn’t need to be boneless. You can totally cook it with the bone – but it will take longer to get the same amount of meat. Some people say that bone-in results in a juicier, more flavorful meat. It reduces the surface area of the meat (by a very tiny amount) where you lose moisture. It also reduces the surface area where you can spread the peach sauce, so you’ll have less caramelized gooey maple peach crust. That said, moisture loss hasn’t been an issue for me in this recipe, and boneless means the food cooks faster, is less expensive, and is easier to shred later. So I tend toward boneless.
Peach Taco Toppings
I like to have lots of options for my tacos. The kids love being able to try each of the different options in different combinations as well, which keeps them more interested in participating in and actually eating dinner.
Peach Salsa
Fresh peach salsa tastes great with the cooked peach jam that caramelizes on the outside of the pork. To offset the sweetness of the pork, I top the peaches with a bit of lime to make the acidity sing. Between the pork and the salsa, you get a very good, juicy peach flavor.
Charred Corn & Caramelized Onions
I just really love corn. And caramelized onions. And they are great with the sweet maple peach pulled pork and the fresh peach salsa flavors as another layer of sweetness.
Lime Yogurt Sauce, Avocado, Feta Cheese & Shredded Cabbage
I love having a yogurt sauce with these tacos — if you add enough lime, it comes across as this delicious creamy but tart sauce that works perfectly against the other layers of sweetness going on in this taco.
Avocado is always a good option to add to a taco.
Feta cheese adds a touch of salty tang.
Shredded cabbage adds a bit of crunch! But not totally necessary.
Print
Maple Peach Pulled Pork Tacos
These delicious end-of-summer tacos marry sweet peach and maple flavors with a fresh peach salsa and a tangy lime yogurt sauce. They take some time to cook, but very little active prep time.
- Total Time: 7 hours
- Yield: 18 tacos 1x
Ingredients
Peach Pulled Pork
3.5 lb boneless pork shoulder (butt roast) – note that this will make enough for about 20 tacos although the remainder of this recipe contemplates making about 10 tacos
salt and pepper
1/2 cup peach jam
2 tbsp coconut aminos
3 tbsp maple syrup
Taco Toppings
crumbled feta cheese
1 cup finely shredded cabbage
Charred Corn and Caramelized Onions
1 red onion
3 ears of fresh corn
Peach Salsa (Optional)
1 peach
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
1 jalapeno (optional)
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
Yogurt Sauce (Optional)
1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 tbsp lime juice
10 Tortillas
corn or flour (see my note here on healthy tortilla options)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. Prepare the pork to cook.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with tin foil. Put 3 cups of water in the bottom of it. I prefer to use a deep sheet tray so I don’t have to worry about water splashing out, but a normal sheet tray will also work. Put a grate over the sheet tray and plop the pork on top.
Cross hatch the top of the fat cap (it’s okay if you skip this, but you’ll get more sauce to pork ratio if you do). Salt the pork shoulder all over with salt and pepper. Place the pork on the grate with the fat cap on top. Put it in the oven.
3. Bake the pork at 325F for about 6 hours.
Don’t rush this process. The pork needs this time to cook correctly. If you rush it or take it out early, the pork is not going to be as tender. This is a recipe to start shortly after you wake up — err on the side of needing more time, not less.
While the pork bakes, prepare the sauce by mixing the coconut aminos, the peach jam, the maple syrup, and 1 tsp of salt together well in a bowl. Set it aside until you need it.
Once a thermometer reads 185, take the pork out of the oven. Use a pastry brush to generously brush the sauce all over the pork.
4. Put the pork back in the oven for another 30-40 minutes.
The oven should still be set to 325F. Leave the pork in until it reaches an internal temperature of 195F. This will probably take another 40 minutes. Don’t be tempted to take it out early or you won’t get that fall-apart goodness.
5. Once the pork reaches 195F, take it out of the oven.
Brush it all over again with sauce. Tent it with foil and let it rest for an hour. It will stay hot, don’t worry!
6. While the pork rests, prepare your toppings and sauces.
Crumbled Cheese: Crumble some feta cheese and put it in a bowl.
Charred Corn and Caramelized Onions: Steam the corn (I use a frying pan, put about an inch of water in the bottom, bring it to a boil, add the corn, cover, and let it go for about 3-5 minutes. Then turn off the heat and take off the lid to let it cool for several minutes. Once it’s cooled down a bit, cut the corn off the cob. Chop red onions and cook them over low heat for about 10 minutes until they turn translucent and then golden brown. Take the onions out of the frying pan. Then add the fresh corn and turn up the heat to medium. Try not to move the corn for about 4 minutes, and then give it a stir to see if it’s charred a bit on the bottom. If so, turn off the heat and you’re all done! Put it in a bowl on the table mixed with the caramelized onions.
Shredded Cabbage: Slice the cabbage very thinly. I wouldn’t prepare more than about a cup — a little goes a long way. This is optional. You can also toss it with a bit of olive oil and salt if you’re not watching calories.
Peach Salsa: Chop 1 fresh ripe peach, red onion, and fresh cilantro. Squeeze a lime over the mixture, mix well, and you have peach salsa.
Yogurt Sauce: Mix 2 tbsp of lime juice with 1/2 cup of Greek Yogurt. If the mixture feels a little thick, you can thin it by adding a bit more water, about 1 tbsp at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Tortillas: Don’t forget to heat your tortillas!
7. Shred your pork, and start building tacos!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
