Asado de Puerco (Mexican Pork Stew)

An authentic Mexican pork stew made with dried chiles, no chili powder here! The guajillo chiles add a very smoky flavor while the ancho chiles add a touch of smoky sweetness. To add another level of flavor, we always top our puerco asado with sliced onions marinated in fresh lemon juice.

Step: 1

Combine pork cubes, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until water evaporates. Continue cooking until the pork browns in its rendered fat, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step: 2

Meanwhile, cut tops off the dried chiles and remove seeds. Heat chiles in a large skillet over low heat until they start to soften. Do not toast. Place chiles in a bowl of hot water and soak for 20 minutes.

Step: 3

Remove pork and set aside. Do not wash, wipe out, or clean the Dutch oven.

Step: 4

Transfer chiles to a blender, reserving soaking water. Add cilantro, chicken bouillon, peppercorns, garlic, cinnamon stick, Mexican oregano, thyme, cumin seeds, bay leaves, and cloves. Pour in 1 cup soaking water and blend until smooth. Add 1 more cup soaking water, season with salt, and blend until completely smooth.

Step: 5

Melt lard in the Dutch oven. Carefully add blended chile mixture and scrape up all browned bits. Bring to a boil and add pork. Reduce heat and cover partially, leaving about 1 inch open. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened and reaches the desired consistency, 15 to 20 minutes.

Per Serving: 178 calories; protein 14.4g; carbohydrates 8.3g; fat 10.1g; cholesterol 46.7mg; sodium 426.7mg.

The name of “stew” can refer to 2 time a food and a cooking method. Stewing involves slowly cooking chunks of meat, raw fruit or beans in a tastefull liquid . It’s same as to braising, instead it does have a few piece of differences. The raw animal vested is chopped into smaller pieces instead of being processing menu all of it , and the water based material all of it covers the contents in a stew as different to a braise’s halfway full . When meat or raw fruit are cooked using this method, the resulting dish is called stew.

Stew has a reputation for making a rib-sticking eating process that comfortable you up on a freezing , winter day. It’s true ; a bowl of old menu of beef stew does have warming properties , but stew’s comfort factor goes way beyond protecting you from the cold . It’s all about those soft and chunks of food and vegetables, swimming in a thick, ultra-rich gravy. The way they come together creates the greatest comfort food, no matter the weather.