West Texas Asado Food

PORK CHILE COLORADO

Steps:

• Quarter onion. Peel garlic cloves. Stem, seed and rinse all dried chiles. Place all in a medium sauce pan with enough water to cover.
• Place pan on medium high heat and bring to a boil then reduce to low and cover with lid. Allow to cook until everything is heated through and chiles are soft, about 15 minutes. (Continue with searing the pork while this is cooking.)
• With slotted spoon, remove all ingredients from sauce pan to electric blender. Add enough fresh water to allow blender blades to turn easily. Pulse until fully chopped and blended.
• Place mesh strainer on top of medium bowl and pour in chile mixture. Allow liquid to strain through, using a spoon to press out as much liquid as possible then discard the solids. Pour into clean crock pot and stir in the remaining beef broth.
• While chiles are heating, in a small bowl, mix together baking powder, salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano and achiote. Set aside.
• Cut pork roast into bite sized pieces. In medium bowl, mix well with enough spice powder to cover.
• In large skillet, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add pork roast pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until seared (about 8-10 minutes).
• Remove pork roast pieces to crock pot and stir together with chile mixture. Add bay leaves and stir gently.
• Cook 3-4 hours on high, or 5-6 hours on low. Remove bay leaves before servng.

ASADO

Steps:

• Divide the pork shoulder into 4 pieces. Pat the pieces dry with paper towels and liberally season all over with salt.
• Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot (choose one with a lid, such as a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Sear the pieces of pork on all sides until brown, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pot. Transfer the pork to a plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot.
• Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and garlic to the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Deglaze the pot with 4 cups water and the tomato sauce, then add the calamansi juice, soy sauce and bay leaf and stir to combine. Raise the heat to high and bring everything to boil. Add the browned pork and any juices that have accumulated back to the pot, and reduce the heat to medium-low. (You are looking for a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.) Cover and simmer until the meat is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the pot from the heat and let the meat cool in the covered pot until it reaches room temperature.
• Transfer the meat to a separate container, leaving the braising liquid in covered pot. Refrigerate both overnight. The next day, skim the fat off the top of the liquid in the pot; discard the fat.
• Heat the braising liquid to a simmer. Add 1/4 cup of the grated cheese, if using, and the evaporated milk, stirring constantly until well incorporated. Taste and add more cheese if desired to add saltiness and thicken slightly. Season with salt, if needed, and keep warm over low heat.
• Slice the chilled pork shoulder into 1/4-inch slices, cutting against the grain of the meat. Place pork slices in the asado braising liquid and heat until warmed through. Serve hot.

WEST TEXAS ASADO

Steps:

• Take the chiles and remove stems and seeds. Place chiles in a large bowl, pour warm water over them and then add two crushed cloves of garlic and 1 t salt to bowl. Let soak overnight or for at least 8 hours.
• After chiles have softened, throw out the soaking water (it will be bitter) and place chiles in a blender with 1/2 cup fresh water. Puree until a thick paste is formed...it should be about 4 cups of puree.
• IN a saucepan, saute on medium heat the diced onion in one tablespoon of oil until cooked and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining 8 cloves of crushed garlie (about 1/2 cup) and cook for one more minute. Add the chile paste, 1 cup of water, the cilantro, oregano, salt and pepper.
• Cook chile sauce on medium heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Generously salt and pepper the pork cubes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to pot and brown meat on all sides. Add chile sauce to meat and cook covered on low heat for 2-1/2 hours stirring occasionally. Serve with 2 fried eggs on top and good Mexican cheese if desired and flour tortillas. yum yum