Pork, Tailgating

Carnitas Sliders with Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce

Preparation
15 min
Cook Time
10-15 hours
Serves
6-8
Difficulty
4/10

Carnitas Sliders with Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce

Behind the Recipe

The Perfect 1-2 Punch on Game Day

If the key to winning on the gridiron is a well-rounded run game, then the key to winning your watch party is our recipe for Carnitas Sliders with Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce.

Just like a dynamic duo in the backfield, this dish combines the robust, smoky flavor of tender, slow-cooked carnitas with the bright, zesty kick of tomatillo-avocado sauce. It's a play of contrasts that's hard to beat on game day or any day. So when you’re ready, huddle up around your Oakford and get ready to deliver a game-winning feast that'll have your guests cheering for more!

Ingredients

8 oz. tomatillos, husked and halved
1 ripe Hass avocado
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ cup white onion, chopped
2 medium garlic cloves
2-4 serrano chiles
1 ¾ tsp. kosher salt
Water as needed
20 of your favorite slider rolls
1 ⅓ lb. pulled pork Carnitas

Preparation

Preheat your Oakford Pellet Grill to 250ºF – you can plan on about 90 minutes of smoking per pound of pork shoulder.
While your pellet grill pre-heats, combine tomatillos, ripe avocado, cilantro, chopped onion, garlic, serrano chiles, and kosher salt in a blender.
Blend until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Add water as needed to reach the desired consistency of the sauce.
Season pork shoulder liberally with salt and pepper or your favorite pork rub.

Cooking Instructions

1

Place your seasoned pork shoulder in a foil pan, then into your Oakford, using a meat probe or thermometer to track its internal temperature. From there, let ‘er smoke until it reaches an internal temp of about 190ºF. Remove from smoker and let rest for 15-20 minutes.
2

Shred pork using your hands and a fork, then crisp up the shredded pork in a pan or on a griddle using the liquid left in the foil pan to make carnitas. (Pro Tip: you can also add a tbsp. or two of cooking oil to supplement those hard-earned juices)
3

Split each of your slider rolls horizontally.
4

Spoon about 1 tbsp. of the tomatillo-avocado sauce onto the bottom of each roll, spreading it evenly.
5

Top each roll with a generous portion of smoked carnitas.
6

Cover with the tops of each roll.
7

Serve the carnitas sliders with the remaining tomatillo-avocado sauce on the side. We recommend adding fresh avocado and jalapeños slices to take these babies over the top.

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