By Jack turned six this week. March 6th. His birthday party was four friends from kindergarten, a cake shaped like a tractor that I made from a sheet cake cut into the approximate shape of a vehicle and frosted in green, and a garden-themed treasure hunt in the backyard where each clue led to a buried "seed packet" — actually little bags of candy with a seed taped to the side. The kids loved it. Jack loved it. He planted his birthday seed — a pumpkin seed, buried with ceremony in the corner of the yard next to the marigold spot — and told his friends it would grow ten feet tall by Halloween. They believed him. I believe him too.
The tractor cake was not professional. I'm not a cake decorator. I'm a woman with a spatula and a vision, and the vision was a John Deere green tractor and the reality was a green rectangle with Oreo wheels and a pretzel smokestack that leaned slightly to the left. Kevin said it looked great. Kevin is a liar, but a supportive one. Jack said it was the best tractor he'd ever seen, and his face when he said it was the face of a boy who means exactly what he says, and that was enough.
I made pulled pork for the parents who stayed — some parents drop and run, some parents stay, and the stayers get fed because that's the law in my house. Crockpot pulled pork, coleslaw, buns, potato chips. One mom asked how I had time to make pulled pork for a birthday party and I said the crockpot did the work. She said, "But you planned it." I said planning food is not work, it's breathing. She gave me a look. I think she thought I was joking. I was not joking.
Dad sent Jack a card with a check for twenty dollars and a note that said: "Happy Birthday. Put some of this toward good soil." Jack took the note seriously. He asked Kevin to take him to the garden center, where he spent eleven dollars on a bag of organic composting soil and nine dollars on a hand-held soil pH tester. He is six years old and he owns a soil pH tester. I called Dad and told him. Dad said, "Smart kid." That was it. That was the whole conversation. It was enough.
The pulled pork was the hero of Jack’s party, and honestly, pork is my go-to move when I’m feeding a crowd of grown-ups while also managing six-year-olds with shovels in the backyard. This sweet and spicy pork and pineapple taco recipe is the next-level version of that instinct—a little more punch, a little more brightness from the pineapple, and still the kind of thing where the slow part does itself and you just show up at the end with tortillas and toppings. If you’re the kind of parent who stays at the party, this is what I’d feed you.
Sweet and Spicy Pork and Pineapple Tacos
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into small chunks
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or hot sauce
- 12 small flour or corn tortillas, warmed
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Season the pork. In a medium bowl, toss the pork cubes with chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Sear the pork. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned pork in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Caramelize the pineapple. In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the pineapple chunks and sprinkle with brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pineapple is golden and caramelized, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Build the sauce. Add the soy sauce, lime juice, and sriracha to the skillet with the pineapple. Stir to combine and let it bubble for 1 minute.
- Combine. Return the pork to the skillet and toss everything together until the pork is coated in the sweet and spicy glaze. Cook for 2 more minutes until heated through.
- Assemble the tacos. Spoon the pork and pineapple mixture into warmed tortillas. Top with cilantro, diced red onion, avocado slices, and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 385 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 40g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 480mg