Pork Tacos with a Chipotle Aioli, Salsa Verde, and Orange-Habanero Sauce

This Caribbean pepper is famous for being the hottest chile pepper in the world. They come in a variety of shapes and colors(yellow, orange,green, red,chocolate). Not only are they extremely hot, but they also have a unique,distinctively fruity flavor.

It is the key ingredient in the popular Jamaican Jerk sauce. The habanero is also widely used in many different types of hot sauces. The popularity of this chile pepper continues to grow and is becoming easier to find on the grocery shelf.

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Ingredients:

For the Pork Taco:
1 pound pork loin
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cheddar (shredded)
1 cup red cabbage (sliced into thin pieces)
1 avocado (cored and sliced)
1/2 cup cilantro (fresh, for garnish)
8 flour tortillas

For the Orange-Habanero Sauce:
4 cups orange juice
2 habanero peppers (halved)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt

For the Salsa Verde
5 tomatillos (cleaned and quartered)
2 roma tomatoes (halved)
1 jalapeno (halved)
5 cloves garlic (clean and smashed)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 lime (juice only)
1 teaspoon salt

For the Chipotle Aioli:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

First, preheat your grill on high for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the orange-habanero sauce by combining the orange juice and habanero in a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce has reduced to about 2/3 of a cup. Remove the sauce from the pan and remove the peppers. Add the honey and salt a whisk to combine. Set aside.

To prepare the salsa verde, combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer the salsa to a saucepan and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. Remove from the pan and set aside.

The chipotle aioli is prepared by simply whisking the ingredients together in a small bowl until well mixed. Set aside.

For the pork, mix the spices together and pour onto a plate. Roll the pork loin in the spice mixture and rub the spices into the meat. Let sit for 5 minutes before placing the pork loin on the grill. Be sure to turn the heat down on the grill at this point so that you do not burn the pork. Turn the pork every few minutes. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the pork is medium to medium-well. Remove from the grill and set aside for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

To prepare the tacos, place a small amount o the chipotle aioli on a flour tortilla and spread evenly. Then place 3-4 slices of the pork loin on the taco and top with the salsa verde, cabbage, cheese, avocado, and cilantro. Lastly, squirt about a tablespoon of the orange-habanero sauce onto the taco and serve!