Morisqueta Michoacana
Tags: Dinner Mexican Pork
- 7 large Roma tomatoes (1¾ lb/794 g), cored, or one 28-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- ½ large white onion (7 oz/200 g), halved
- 1 cup homemade chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 large chiles guajillos (1.26 oz/36 g), stemmed and seeded
- 6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- 3 chiles de árbol (0.18 oz/4.8 g), stemmed (and seeded for a milder flavor)
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon Morton kosher salt (0.7 oz/20 g)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons rendered lard, bacon fat, or extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 pounds (1.36 kg) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
- Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 475°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Arrange the tomatoes and onion on the prepared pan. Roast until the skin is browned in spots and starting to peel away, for 30 to 35 minutes. (Omit this step if you’re using canned tomatoes; you'll use the onion raw in the next step.)
- In a medium saucepan, bring the broth, chiles guajillos, garlic, chiles de árbol, bay leaf, salt, oregano, and pepper to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let sit until the chiles have softened, for 30 minutes. Transfer the chile mixture to a blender. Add the roasted tomatoes and onion (or canned tomatoes and raw onion) and puree until completely smooth.
- In a large heavy pot over medium-high, heat the lard. Working in batches, cook the pork until browned on two sides, for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Pour the chile puree into the pot with the pork fat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Return the pork to the pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the pork is completely tender and can easily be shredded, for 2½ to 3 hours.
- The morisqueta can be refrigerated for up to 3 days (the flavor will improve as time goes on), or frozen for up to 3 months.
