Red Chile Pork Salsa Recipe
Make Red Chile Pork Salsa Recipe in just 3h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Red Chile Pork
Red Chile Salsa
Finishing & Serving
Method
Red Chile Pork
- 1
Season and brown pork
Pat the pork cubes dry with paper towels. Toss with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. In batches to avoid crowding, sear pork cubes until deeply browned on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Transfer seared pork to a plate.
- 2
Sauté aromatics
Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped onion and 6 smashed garlic cloves to the pot and sauté until soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
- 3
Simmer pork
Return pork to the pot with any accumulated juices. Add 1 bay leaf and 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until pork is tender and shreddable, about 1.5–2 hours. Check every 30 minutes and add a splash of water if needed. When done, remove pork, reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid, discard bay leaf, and shred pork with two forks.
Red Chile Salsa
- 4
Prepare chiles
Remove stems and seeds from 6 guajillo and 2 ancho chiles. Wipe lightly with a dry towel to remove dust. Place chiles in a heatproof bowl and pour 3 cups of just-boiled hot water over them. Press chiles down so fully submerged. Let soak 20–25 minutes until softened but not falling apart.
- 5
Roast tomato, onion, garlic
While chiles soak, char the 1 quartered tomato, 1/2 onion quarter, and 3 garlic cloves. You can roast on a dry skillet over medium-high heat, under a broiler (4–6 inches from heat) for 6–8 minutes, or on a grill until blackened in spots. Turn occasionally so all sides are blistered. Remove and let cool slightly.
- 6
Blend salsa
Drain chiles, reserving 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid. Place softened chiles in a blender with the roasted tomato, roasted onion, roasted garlic, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 tbs apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1.5 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tbs neutral oil. Add 1/4–1/2 cup of the reserved chile soaking liquid to help blend; blend on high until completely smooth, about 1–2 minutes. If too thick, add additional soaking liquid or reserved pork cooking liquid 1 tbs at a time until you reach a thick sauce consistency.
- 7
Cook and adjust
Heat a skillet over medium heat and pour in the blended chile sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, for 6–8 minutes to deepen flavor and remove raw edge. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or vinegar as needed. If sauce is too bitter, a pinch more brown sugar helps; if too acidic, a splash more cooking liquid mellows it.
Finish & Serve
- 8
Combine pork and salsa
Add the shredded pork to the cooked red chile salsa in the skillet or return salsa to the Dutch oven with the pork. Add up to 1 cup reserved pork cooking liquid gradually to achieve a moist, saucy texture (typically 1/4–1/2 cup for a thick filling). Simmer together over low heat 8–10 minutes so flavors marry. Taste and adjust salt.
- 9
Finish and serve
Stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice if using. Serve hot as a tamale filling or inside warmed corn tortillas. Garnish with pickled onions or sliced raw onion. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.