Growing up in Texas, the influence of Mexican food was delightfully unavoidable. I used to eat at taquerias in Houston where at least some conversational Spanish was required or your order would come out wrong.

Among the many things I loved about Mexican food is the reverence for pork. Those familiar with the culture will smile knowingly at words like carnitas, pierna, al pastor and other porcine delights that fill fresh, hand-made tortillas with meaty goodness, and get smothered in chopped onions and cilantro. Some salsa and a squeeze of lime juice tops them off perfectly.

The following recipe is a variation of those things; my proud, bastardized act of cultural appropriation on a plate. I am dedicating this one to Carol J. Adams, author of The Sexual Politics of Meat – 25th Anniversary Edition: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory.

Among other things she’s whining about in 335 pages of blithering idiocy about meat is how women get “pornographed,” something even my spellcheck knows isn’t a real word. But hey, she’s a feminist. She has a license to create things out of thin air.

So, thanks, Carol. The meat taco that follows makes your wheat grass and chai seem as dull, boring and pointless as wheat grass and chai.

Paul’s Tacos de Apropiación Cultural

Meat – One pork shoulder, about 3 pounds.

Tortillas*

For the marinade.

Three cloves crushed garlic (through a garlic press is best)

Three heaping tablespoons smoked paprika

Two heaping tablespoons brown sugar (brown sugar substitute is fine)

One teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

One teaspoon ground cumin

One tablespoon chili powder

Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Enough olive oil to make a paste

For the topping

Fresh diced onion

Fresh chopped cilantro

Lime wedges

Salsa or pico de gallo (optional)

This is really simple. Make the marinade. Briskly massage it into the pork shoulder and put in refrigerator for 24-48 hours.

When it is time to cook, put some onion halves into your roasting pan for a stand. This keeps the bottom of the roast nice and moist, as well as flavoring it. Put in the oven at 285 Fahrenheit (140 Celsius) for about six hours.

Let the roast rest for 30 minutes minimum!

Next comes the fun part. Tear off some pork, put it in a tortilla, cover with onions and cilantro. Don’t forget to squeeze some lime juice on it!

Now, prepare for one not being anywhere near enough.

*I used low carb street tortillas (pictured) They are a slight step down from regular tortillas, and they pale compared to hand made tortillas, but they are a quick, healthy option.