Mexican Pulled Pork (Chilorio)

Chilorio is one of my favorite Mexican dishes. It is similar to American pulled pork but it has a spicier taste to it without being hot. Also, it is served on a warm flour tortilla instead of a bun. But it is hard to find it here. Very hard. Actually, I know no Mexican restaurant that serves it, which is interesting because it is really easy to make and it does not require many exotic ingredients.

One time I was in Borders perusing the cooking books section when I saw this big, beautiful-looking Mexican cookbook. I am picky about cooking books. And I am especially picky about Mexican cooking books because many of them have no authentic recipes. As I started reading the book, I recognized each recipe. My excitement increased as I started reading the ingredients of the recipes and the directions. Many of the recipes are identical to dishes my grandmother and mom make. At that moment, I knew I had a treasure in my hands and bought two copies. One for me and one for my mom. It was one of my best acquisitions. 

I went home and reviewed the recipes carefully. To my surprise, I found the recipe for Chilorio, which I had not had in years. After reading the recipe I was surprised because it looked suspiciously easy. I went to the grocery store, bought all the ingredients I needed, and started cooking. I knew I had done something right when the smell of the pork instantly reminded me to the dish I used to eat when I was younger in Mexico. I could not wait to try it. When it was finally done I heated a flour tortilla and made a taco. Then another. Then another one. I ate a lot that night. It was that good.

If you like pork and spicy food, this recipe is for you. You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry with the exception of the chiles. If you local grocery store doesn’t carry them, you can find it at your local Mexican store or online at http://www.mexgrocer.com. You won’t regret buying them because you can make wonderful salsas and adobos with the leftover chiles.

By the way, months after I bought this cookbook, I found that the same company also printed America, the Beautiful Cookbook. Other cuisines available are French, Asian, Italian, and Mediterranean. Yes, I have them all and I highly recommend them. I’ve made a killer Jambalaya from the American cuisine book. 

Comments: One time I didn’t have parsley so I decided to use cilantro instead. I was surprised at how different the dish tasted. It was not bad, but it was not as good. So, please, do not substitute the parsley with cilantro. You’ve been warned!

Mexican Pulled Pork (Mexican Chilorio) – serves 6

Adapted from Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook by Susana Palazuelos and Marilyn Tausend

3 lb. boneless pork, cut into 1in. cubes

1 ½ cups water (or more as necessary)

½ cup vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons lard (optional)

1 chile ancho, seeds and membranes removed

2 chiles guajillos, seeds and membranes removed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley

6 cloves garlic

1.       Place the pork, ½ cup of the water, vinegar, and salt in a large saucepan. Simmer, covered, for about 45 to 50 minutes or until all the liquid has cooked off and the pork fries in its own rendered fat. If there is not enough fat, add the lard so that the pork fries to a golden brown. Set aside.

2.       Place the chiles in a small saucepan with the remaining 1 cup of water. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Transfer the chiles and cooking water to a blender, add the oregano, cumin, parsley and garlic, then puree.

3.       Add the pureed chiles to the fried pork, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered for 1 hour or under the pork is tender and can easily be cut with a fork. It may be necessary to add another cup of water to the pan, depending on the tenderness of the meat.

4.       Once the pork is cooked, let it rest for about 15 minutes and then shred.

5.       Served on a warm flour tortilla.