Red Chile Pork Recipe

Season and Sear Pork

Pat pork cubes dry with paper towels. In a bowl, toss pork with 1½ tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, minced garlic, and 1 tsp ground cumin. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, working in batches if necessary, sear pork cubes until well-browned on all sides (about 3–4 minutes per side). Remove seared pork to a plate and set aside.

After searing all pork, leave any fond (browned bits) in the pot — these will add flavor to the sauce.

Toast and Rehydrate Chiles

Wipe each dried chile with a dry towel. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast chiles 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant (don’t burn). Transfer toasted chiles to a bowl and cover with 2 cups hot water or gently simmering broth. Let soak 15–20 minutes until softened. Reserve soaking liquid by straining and saving the liquid.

Char Vegetables

While chiles soak, char the quartered onion, halved tomatoes, and whole unpeeled garlic cloves on a skillet or under a broiler until nicely blackened in spots (about 6–8 minutes), turning to char evenly. Peel the garlic after cooling slightly.

Make the Sauce

Drain chiles, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid and discarding remainder (or keep more if needed for thinning). Remove stems and any large veins from chiles. In a blender, combine drained chiles, charred tomatoes, charred onion, peeled garlic, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, ½ tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional), and 1 teaspoon salt. Add about 1 cup reserved soaking liquid or broth to start. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1–2 minutes. If sauce is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup more liquid to reach a saucy, slightly pourable consistency.

Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning: more salt or a touch more vinegar to brighten if needed. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl if you prefer a silkier texture, pressing with a spatula to extract flavor. Discard solids.

Cook Sauce and Simmer with Pork

Return the Dutch oven with pork fond to medium heat and add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil if the pot is dry. Pour the blended red chile sauce into the pot and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up browned bits. Add the seared pork (and any accumulated juices) back into the pot, nestling pieces into the sauce. Add additional broth if needed to just barely cover the meat (about 1/2–1 cup). Bring to a low simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook gently until pork is tender and shreddable, about 1.5–2 hours. Alternatively, cook in a 325°F/160°C oven covered for 1.5–2 hours. Check once halfway and stir; if the sauce reduces too much, add a splash of broth.

When pork is tender, remove lid and simmer uncovered 10–15 minutes to concentrate sauce if desired. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or vinegar balance.

Once pork is fork-tender, transfer pork pieces to a cutting board or plate and shred or chop to desired size using two forks or a knife. Return shredded pork to the sauce and stir to fully coat and absorb flavors. Simmer 3–5 minutes to meld.

Stir in chopped cilantro (reserve a little for garnish) and adjust seasoning. Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or wrapped in foil in a low oven. Serve red chile pork in tortillas or plated, topped with reserved cilantro, diced white onion, and lime wedges on the side. Provide extra sauce on the side if desired.