Beeler's Volcano Pork Shank Recipe

Season and Sear

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.

Braise

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.

Finish

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.

Toast and Rehydrate Chiles

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 Nuts & Seeds

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

Sauté Aromatics

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).

Blend Sauce

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.

Simmer and Season

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.

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.