Crispy smashed fingerling potatoes, mole poblano, pickled red onion, crème fraîche, micro cilantro

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat pork shanks dry and rub with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil. Sear shanks 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.

Season and Sear

Add chopped yellow onion, carrot, celery and smashed garlic to the pot and sauté 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in bay leaf. Return shanks to the pot, add 4 cups chicken stock to come halfway up the shanks. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until meat is very tender and falling from the bone.

Braise

Remove shanks from braising liquid. Strain and reserve 1/2 cup of braising liquid. If desired, skim fat and reduce strained liquid briefly to make a gloss. Keep shanks warm while finishing other components.

Finish

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast ancho and pasilla chiles 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant (do not burn). Remove and soak in 1 cup hot water 15–20 minutes until softened; reserve soaking liquid.

Toast and Rehydrate Chiles

In the same skillet, toast 3 tbsp blanched almonds and 2 tbsp sesame seeds until golden, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a blender.

Toast Nuts & Seeds

Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil to the skillet. Sear the chopped tomato, quartered white onion and 3 cloves garlic until lightly charred, about 6–8 minutes. Add to the blender with toasted nuts, seeds, raisins, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 clove, and cinnamon stick (break into pieces).

Sauté Aromatics

Add softened chiles (remove stems and seeds if not already) and about 1/2 cup of the chile soaking liquid to the blender. Purée until very smooth, adding up to 1 cup chicken stock to reach a saucy consistency. Strain the purée through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing to extract as much as possible.

Blend Sauce

Simmer the strained mole over low heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring so it doesn't stick. Stir in 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 tsp salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. If too bitter, a small pinch more sugar will balance. Finish with a tablespoon of reserved braising liquid if you want an extra meaty note.

Simmer and Season

Place fingerlings in a pot, cover with cold water, add 1 tsp kosher salt, and bring to a simmer. Cook until just tender, 12–15 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Arrange potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Using the bottom of a sturdy glass or a small plate, press each potato to flatten to about 1/4" thick. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, dot with 1 tbsp butter, sprinkle 1 tsp fresh thyme (optional) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast 20–25 minutes until crisp and deeply browned, turning halfway. Keep warm.

While potatoes cook, combine 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt in a small saucepan. Heat just until sugar and salt dissolve. Place thinly sliced red onion in a jar and pour hot brine over. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 30 minutes (can be made ahead for up to 1 week).

If crème fraîche is too thick, whisk in 1–2 tsp water or lemon juice to loosen to a spoonable consistency. Keep chilled until plating.

Have micro cilantro and toasted sesame seeds ready for finishing the dish.

Plate 4–6 crispy smashed fingerling potatoes per serving in a small cluster. Spoon a generous ladle (about 1/3 cup) of warm mole poblano alongside or partially over the potatoes to create the "volcano" base.

Nestle a braised pork shank on top of the mole so sauce coats the meat and pools at the base. Spoon 1–2 tbsp crème fraîche in dollops around the plate and scatter a few slices of pickled red onion over the pork and potatoes.

Garnish with a small handful of micro cilantro and a light sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. If desired, drizzle a tablespoon of the reserved braising liquid over the meat for extra gloss. Serve immediately.

pork shanks (bone-in)

kosher salt

black pepper

olive oil

yellow onion

carrot

celery stalk

garlic cloves (smashed)

bay leaf

chicken stock

dried ancho chiles (stemmed, seeded)

dried pasilla or mulato chiles (stemmed, seeded)

unsweetened cocoa powder

toasted sesame seeds

blanched almonds

raisins

tomato (roughly chopped)

white onion (quartered)

garlic cloves

clove

cinnamon stick (small)

vegetable oil

chicken stock (for sauce)

brown sugar

apple cider vinegar

salt

fingerling potatoes

kosher salt (for boiling)

olive oil (for roasting)

unsalted butter

fresh thyme (optional)

red onion (thinly sliced)

water

sugar

crème fraîche (or sour cream)

micro cilantro

toasted sesame seeds (for finishing)

BEELER'S VOLCANO PORK SHANK

Make BEELER'S VOLCANO PORK SHANK Recipe in just 3h 30m. Crispy smashed fingerling potatoes, mole poblano, pickled red onion, crème fraîche, micro cilantro

Beeler's Volcano Pork Shank Recipe

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