Tacos Arabes

• servings: 6 servings
• total time: 2-1/4 hours

Ingredients

PORK AND ONIONS

2½ pounds boneless pork butt roast

4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided

1/2 large onion, halved and sliced thin

2 garlic cloves, sliced thin

3¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and cracked

1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted and cracked

1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano

1¼ teaspoons pepper, divided

1 teaspoon ground paprika

1 teaspoon ground Ancho chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne

1 cup water

⅓ cup lime juice (3 limes)

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

YOGURT SAUCE

1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons water, plus extra as needed

4 teaspoons lime juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Cilantro (garnish)

12 (6-inch) pitas, corn, or flour tortillas, warmed

Lime wedges

Pickled red onion

Guacamole

Directions

Before You Begin

Pork butt roast is often labeled Boston butt in the supermarket. We developed this recipe with Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton kosher salt, which is denser, use only 2¼ teaspoons in step 2. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. The seeds can be cracked in a mortar and pestle or using the bottom of a heavy skillet. Tacos árabes are traditionally served in yeasted flatbreads called pan árabe, but since pan árabe can be hard to find, we call for pitas (look for Arabic-style, which have a pocket and are thinner, as opposed to non-hollow Greek pitas) or flour tortillas (or corn). The pork can be braised and sauce can be made up to two days in advance and refrigerated.

Instructions

-Pork and onions

1) Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Trim excess fat from exterior of pork, leaving ¼-inch-thick fat cap. Slice pork against grain into ½-inch-thick slabs.

2) Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, oregano, 1 teaspoon pepper, paprika, chili powder, thyme, and cayenne and stir to combine. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in water and lime juice. Add pork, nestling into onions and liquid (pork will not be fully submerged). Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until pork is tender but paring knife inserted into pork still meets some resistance, about 1 to 1.25 hours, flipping meat halfway through cooking. While pork cooks, prepare sauce.

- Yogurt sauce

3) Stir yogurt, cilantro, water, lime juice, and oil. If necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons extra water so sauce is pourable (I skip this). Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste, then refrigerate until needed.

4) Remove pot from oven. Transfer pork to cutting board. Set Dutch oven over high heat and bring braising liquid to rapid simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping any browned bits from sides of pot, until syrupy (spatula drawn across bottom of pot should leave clean trail), 12 to 15 minutes. Off heat, return pork to Dutch oven and coat both sides of each piece with sauce.

5) Heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with wire rack. Arrange pork in single layer on rack and spoon about 2 teaspoons sauce over top of each piece. Broil until pork is well browned with bits of charring and crisping around edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer pork to cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice each piece crosswise into ⅛-inch strips.

6) Transfer pork to serving platter. Serve with yogurt sauce, pickled red onions, cilantro, and lime wedges.