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Restaurants›Mitla Cafe›Carne De Puerco En Chile Verde Or Chile Colorado Recipe

Carne De Puerco En Chile Verde Or Chile Colorado Recipe

Name: Mitla Cafes Carne De Puerco En Chile Verde Or Chile Colorado Recipe
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 lbs pork shoulder (boneless), cut into 1-1.5 inch cubes; 1.5 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican); 0.5 tsp cumin (ground); 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or lard); 1.5 cups water for braising; 2 units bay leaves; 1 lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed; 3 units jalapeño or serrano peppers, stemmed; 1 cup fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems; 0.5 cups white onion, quartered; 3 cloves garlic cloves; 1 cup chicken or pork broth; 1 tsp salt; 1 tbsp vegetable oil (for sautéing); 6 units dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed; 2 units dried ancho or pasilla chiles, stems and seeds removed; 2 cups roma tomatoes (or canned crushed tomatoes); 0.5 cups white onion, quartered; 3 cloves garlic cloves; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 cup chicken or pork broth; 1 tsp salt; 1 tbsp vegetable oil (for sautéing); 4 units lime wedges; 0.5 cups chopped white onion (for garnish); 0.25 cups chopped cilantro (for garnish); 12 units warm corn or flour tortillas

Inspired by Mitla Cafe

Time2h

Serves6

Pork Meat with Green or Red Sauce

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Ingredients

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For the pork

2 lbs pork shoulder (boneless), cut into 1-1.5 inch cubes

1 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican)

1/2 tsp cumin (ground)

2 tbsp vegetable oil (or lard)

1 1/2 cups water for braising

2 units bay leaves

For Chile Verde (green sauce)

1 lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed

3 units jalapeño or serrano peppers, stemmed

1 cup fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems

1/2 cups white onion, quartered

3 cloves Garlic cloves

1 cup chicken or pork broth

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tbsp vegetable oil (for sautéing)

For Chile Colorado (red sauce)

6 units dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed

2 units dried ancho or pasilla chiles, stems and seeds removed

2 cups roma tomatoes (or canned crushed tomatoes)

1/2 cups white onion, quartered

3 cloves Garlic cloves

1/2 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Dried oregano

1 cup chicken or pork broth

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tbsp vegetable oil (for sautéing)

To finish & serve

4 units Lime wedges

1/2 cups chopped white onion (for garnish)

1/4 cups chopped cilantro (for garnish)

12 units warm corn or flour tortillas

Method

Prepare and brown the pork

Season pork

Pat pork cubes dry with paper towels. In a bowl toss pork with 1.5 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp dried oregano and 1/2 tsp ground cumin until evenly coated.

Brown pork

Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. In batches to avoid crowding, add pork pieces and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Transfer browned pork to a plate.

Deglaze and braise

Return all pork to the pot. Add bay leaves and 1.5 cups water (or enough to come up about 1/3 the height of the pork). Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover partially and braise until pork is tender, about 45–60 minutes. Remove pork and reserve braising liquid. If making sauce immediately, reduce liquid to about 1/2 cup; otherwise reserve for later.

Make Chile Verde (green sauce) — yields enough for the pork

Cook tomatillos and chiles

Place the husked tomatillos and stemmed jalapeño/serranos in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil, then simmer 8–10 minutes until tomatillos are softened and color brightened. Drain.

Blend green sauce

In a blender combine drained tomatillos, cooked chiles, 1 cup cilantro, 1/2 cup quartered white onion, 3 garlic cloves and 1 cup chicken or pork broth. Blend until very smooth. Taste and add 1 tsp salt or more to taste.

Finish sauce

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pour blended green sauce into the skillet and simmer 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, to cook out raw flavor and slightly thicken. Adjust seasoning.

Combine with pork

Return braised pork to the skillet with the green sauce (or add sauce to the pot with pork). If sauce is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup reserved braising liquid. Simmer together 10–15 minutes so pork absorbs sauce flavors. Taste and adjust salt and heat (add chopped fresh jalapeño if you want more spice).

Make Chile Colorado (red sauce) — yields enough for the pork

Toast and rehydrate chiles

On a dry skillet over medium heat, briefly toast guajillo and ancho chiles 10–20 seconds per side — just until fragrant, not burned. Transfer chiles to a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak 15–20 minutes until softened, then drain and reserve 1/2 cup soaking liquid.

Blend red sauce

In a blender combine rehydrated chiles, 2 cups roma tomatoes (or 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes), 1/2 cup quartered white onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1 cup chicken or pork broth, 1/2 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp dried oregano. Add up to 1/4 cup reserved soaking liquid if needed for blending. Blend until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve if you prefer a silky sauce.

Sauté and simmer

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pour the blended red sauce into the skillet and simmer 8–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce deepens in color and thickens. Taste and season with 1 tsp salt or to taste.

Combine with pork

Add the braised pork to the red sauce (or pour sauce into the pot with pork). If sauce is too thin, simmer together uncovered 10–15 minutes to reduce; if too thick, add up to 1/2 cup reserved braising liquid or broth. Simmer so flavors meld and pork is heated through.

To finish and serve

Remove bay leaves. Taste the finished chile verde or colorado and correct seasoning with salt, a squeeze of lime if desired, and more chopped cilantro for verde. For colorado you can add a splash of lime to brighten.

Serve the pork hot with warm tortillas, chopped white onion, chopped cilantro and lime wedges on the side. Offer extra sauce on the side for dipping or smothering.

Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce.