Mike’s Pork Chili Colorado Tacos

This is my version of a regional recipe from New Mexico (not the state of Colorado — the Spanish word is an adjective for “red”) using pure dried ground chili instead of whole chili pods that must be soaked in water and processed. The recipe originated in Northern Mexico and was popularized by settlers in the mid-nineteenth century. The earthy flavor of the slowly-braised pork is sublime, with a good balance of heat. It can be served in a bowl as “chili” or stew with tortillas on the side, or — as shown here — dressed up as tacos or quesadillas. A selection of sources for pure New Mexico chili powder can be found in the links sidebar. You can find the more common ancho chili, either ground or in whole pods, in many supermarkets. If you only have access to whole ancho pods, consider processing them yourself in a spice grinder. You’ll save money. An amazing recipe. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS: 1.5 pounds pork shoulder, cubed in 1/2 or 1″ chunks (you can also find it processed as pork stir fry meat) 1 large Spanish onion, diced 4 large cloves garlic, minced XV olive oil 2 tbs. salted butter 1 cup beef stock 2 large whole dry bay leaves 2 tbs. whole cumin seed, toasted and ground in a mortar 1 tsp. ground Mexican oregano 1 tsp. ground coriander 4 tbs. pure New Mexican Hatch or Chimayo chili powder (medium hot) 3 tbs. ancho chili powder Two 8-oz. cans tomato sauce Garnish With~ 6″ corn or flour tortillas Chopped scallion Cilantro Fresh fire-roasted diced poblano or Anaheim chili Lime wedges Mexican Cotija cheese Monterey jack cheese Mike’s famous guacamole Sour cream or Mexican chipotle-lime crema Kosher salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 275°. Preheat a greased 5-quart cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat with 3 tbs. olive oil. Add the pork and brown until no longer pink. Reduce heat, drain off the fat and remove the pork. Set aside, covered. Add 2 tbs. butter to the pot and add the onion and garlic. Saute until soft, about seven minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic. Add the cooked pork back to the pot. Add the tomato sauce, beef stock and dry spices and stir well. Cover and cook for 1.5 hours in the oven, stirring once after 45 minutes. After 1.5 hours, remove, stir and check to ensure the pork is tender. It should easily shred using two forks. Larger cuts of pork may take a bit longer. Add a bit more beef stock if needed. Cover and reduce heat to 170° F. Keep covered in the oven until ready to serve. Serve as tacos using the garnish options noted above. Leftovers are even better the second day and may be used in quesadillas topped with the red sauce. They also freeze well. Total Cooking Time: 2 hours Serves: 4-6