Grilled Pork Tacos with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa and Pickled Onion

Tacos! Who doesn't love tacos. Especially in the summer on the grill with roasted tomatillo salsa. Tomatillo salsa is a thing of beauty. For this tomatillo salsa, I charred everything on the grill in a vegetable grill basket. Roasty tomatillos, jalapeno, red onion, and garlic all meld beautifully when processed with some lime juice and salt.

The pork is brined and then rubbed with my favorite universal grill rub: garlic powder, salt, brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, lemon pepper, and onion powder. A few minutes each side on the grill and topped with feta, quick pickled onion, and avocado and you have yourself a meal worthy of a summer evening. These tacos were loved in our household and will be made again and again.

Grilled Pork Tacos with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa and Pickled Onion 

Pork brine and rub
1 1/2 pound bone in pork chops
2 tbs salt for brine + 1 tsp for rub
1 quart water
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder

Mix together water, bay leaf, and 2 tbs salt in a large tupperware, until the salt dissolves. Place pork in the brine (salt water) and let sit for 30 minutes in the fridge.

While the pork is brining prepare your tomatillo salsa (directions below) and spice rub.

Mix together remaining salt, chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, lemon pepper, and onion powder. Once pork is done brining, pat dry with a paper towel, and cover both sides with the spice rub. Grill 6-7 minutes per side, while grilling the vegetables for the salsa.

Tomatillo salsa
1 lbs tomatillos, remove the husk
1/2 red onion
1 small head of garlic
1 jalapeno
Juice from half a lime
3 tablespoons cilantro
1/2 tsp salt

Heat grill to medium high. Wrap the garlic in foil and place straight on the grill. In a grill basket or on an oiled grill, roast the tomatillos, red onion, and jalapeno 8-10 minutes rotating every few minutes. You want them to get a little charred. Seed and remove the skin of the jalapeno once it has cooled.

Place roasted garlic cloves, jalapeno, red onion, jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro, and salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Quick pickled onion
1/2 a red onion sliced
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Place red onion, apple cider vinegar, salt, and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve sugar. Once boiling remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

For serving
1 avocado
Feta