Crockpot BBQ Beer Pulled Pork Tacos with Crispy Onion Straws and Mango Salsa are fresh and full of flavor! With just minutes of prep time, this recipe is an ideal weeknight dinner!

YIELD: SERVES 4-6
PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 8 HOURS
TOTAL TIME: 8.5 HOURS

Ingredients:

• 1 (3.5-pound) pork shoulder roast (mine was bone-in)
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 12 ounces of beer
• 32 ounces of barbecue sauce + additional for drizzling
• 12 small flour or corn tortillas
• 4-6 ounces freshly grated cheddar cheese
• 1 batch of crispy onion straws

Mango Salsa

• 1 mango, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 jalapeño, finely diced
• 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
• the juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Optional but yields the best result: heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add about 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Sear the pork on every side (about 2-3 minutes per side) until golden brown before adding to the crockpot.

Add pork to crockpot with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Add beer and 24 ounces of barbecue sauce. Cook on low for 8 hours, tossing once or twice if desired. After 8 hours, shred pork with forks or kitchen tongs and add remaining barbecue sauce. Toss pork to coat and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving to absorb everything. Remove bone (if bone-in) before serving.

I made the mango salsa about 2 hours before serving and the crispy onion straws about 1 hour before. To assemble tacos, place pork in the center of the tortilla and top with a drizzle of barbecue sauce if desired. Add on cheddar, then onion straws and then a big spoonful of mango salsa. Eat up!

Mango Salsa

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well to mix. Can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days, is best when sits for a few hours so the flavors marry.

Recipe and photos from: www.HowSweetEats.com

St. Patrick’s Day is known for its green beer and Corned Beef and Cabbage but we decided to share another Irish classic, Irish Stew. Most households in Ireland will have their own version of this Irish staple but this particular version comes from “The Julia Child of Ireland”, Darina Allen, Ireland’s most famous chef and her Ballymaloe Irish Stew will become an instant favorite! Sláinte!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 8 medium or 12 baby carrots
• 8 medium or 12 baby onions
• 8 -12 potatoes, or more if you like
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1½-1¾ pints stock (lamb stock if possible) or water
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 tablesp. roux, optional – see recipe

 Garnish:

• 1 tablesp. freshly chopped parsley
• 1 tablesp. freshly chopped chives

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4.

2. Cut the chops in half and trim off some of the excess fat. Set aside. Render down the fat on a gentle heat in a heavy pan (discard the rendered down pieces).

3. Peel the onions and scrape or thinly peel the carrots (if they are young you could leave some of the green stalk on the onion and carrot). Cut the carrots into large chunks, or if they are small leave them whole. If the onions are large, cut them into quarters through the root, if they are small they are best left whole.

4. Toss the meat in the hot fat on the pan until it is slightly brown. Transfer the meat into a casserole, then quickly toss the onions and carrots in the fat. Build the meat, carrots and onions up in layers in the casserole, carefully season each layer with freshly ground pepper and salt. De-glaze the pan with lamb stock and pour into the casserole. Peel the potatoes and lay them on top of the casserole, so they will steam while the stew cooks. Season the potatoes. Add a sprig of thyme, bring to the boil on top of the stove, cover with a butter wrapper or paper lid and the lid of the saucepan. Transfer to a moderate oven or allow to simmer on top of the stove until the stew is cooked, 1-1½ hours approx, depending on whether the stew is being made with lamb or hogget.

5. When the stew is cooked, pour off the cooking liquid, de-grease and reheat in another saucepan. Slightly thicken by whisking in a little roux if you like. Check seasoning, then add chopped parsley and chives. Pour over the meat and vegetables. Bring the stew back up to boiling point and serve from the pot or in a large pottery dish.

Roux (Optional)

• 4 ozs (110g) butter
• 4 ozs (110g) flour

Melt the butter and cook the flour in it for 2 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally. Use as required. Roux can be stored in a cool place and used as required or it can be made up on the spot if preferred. It will keep at least a fortnight in a refrigerator.

Irish Stew with Pearl Barley

1. Add 1-2 tablespoons pearl barley with the vegetables.
2. Increase the stock to 2 pints (1.2L) as the pearl barley soaks up lots of liquid.

Recipe from www.CookingIsFun.ie
Photo from www.Telegraph.co.uk

In honor of National Pancake Day, this recipe for Spiced Dark Craft Beer Pancakes has hints of cinnamon, orange peel, and beer to give these pancakes a little extra spice and depth.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sifted all purpose flour
• ¼ granulated sugar
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup dark beer
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp orange peel

Directions

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and spices.

Add all wet ingredients and whisk, a few lumps are ok.

Heat skillet or griddle on medium, and coat with butter pan spray.

Add batter in ¼ cups and wait for bubbles to form, flip and cook until golden brown.

Serve with some additional orange peel, butter and pure maple syrup.

Recipe and photo from: www.CraftBeer.com