Best Pork Shank Yucatán Style Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S YUCATAN-STYLE GRILLED PORK

Steps:

• Place orange juice, lemon juice, and lime juice in a bowl. Add garlic, kosher salt, annatto powder, chipotle powder, ground cumin, cayenne, oregano, and black pepper. Whisk until well blended.
• Cut the tenderloins in half crosswise; cut each piece in half lengthwise. Place pieces in marinade and thoroughly coat with the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap with the wrap touching the surface of the meat and marinade. (Or transfer mixture to a resealable plastic bag.) Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.
• Transfer pieces of pork from marinade to a paper-towel-lined bowl to absorb most of the moisture. Discard paper towels. Drizzle vegetable oil and a bit more annatto powder on the pork.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Place pieces evenly spaced on a hot grill. Allow meat to sear onto the grate until pieces can be easily turned, 4 or 5 minutes. Turn and grill on the other side another 4 or 5 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 135 to 140 degrees F (63 degrees C). Transfer onto a serving platter and allow meat to rest about 5 minutes before serving.

MEXICAN PULLED PORK - YUCATAN STYLE

Steps:

• 1. Using a sharp knife, deeply pierce the flesh of the pork and insert garlic pieces evenly all over the roast.
• 2. Combine Achiote paste, cilantro, olive oil, cumin, salt, chile powder, pepper, liquid smoke, cloves, allspice, and oregano in a bowl and mix together to form a marinade 'paste'.
• 3. Cover pork generously with the seasoning paste. Use it all even if it looks like a lot! Marinade overnight in the refrigerator.
• 4. Place pork in a shallow foil tray - fat side up - and cook indirectly (meaning the burner(s) directly under the pork are not on, but the others are, and the top is down) on the grill for about 4 hours or until internal temp of about 160 degrees is reached. If using a smaller size roast, reduce the grill time accordingly - just monitor the internal temp.
• 5. Cover pork (still in its foil tray!) in aluminum foil and leave on the grill for another 60-75 minutes or until internal temp of 195 is reached. This is key - in order to be able to 'shred' pork from a shoulder you need to get the internal temp up to 195. I find those last 30-40 degrees seem to take forever, so I cover with foil to accelerate after it gets to 160. DON'T turn up the grill temperature - that won't work :)!
• 6. Remove from the grill after reaching 195 degrees and let rest under foil for 10 mins - retain pan drippings.
• 7. Remove and discard fat and skin and 'shred' the pork into thin strings by pulling it apart with a couple of forks. If you don't get it to 195 degrees, then it won't shred and you'll have to chop it - not a horrible thing, but not as good! Pour about half the pan drippings back over the shredded pork, mix, and serve with warm tortillas your favorite Latin condiments! Enjoy

BRAISED PORK SHANK

Steps:

• For the brine: Bring the water to a simmer in a large non-reactive pot. Turn off the heat and add salt, sugar, coriander, peppercorns, rosemary, bay leaf and garlic and bring to a simmer. Whisk until the salt and sugar is dissolved, and then let it cool in the fridge or an ice bath until the brine hits a temperature of 35 degrees F.
• Add the shanks to the cooled brine and weigh down with a plate to ensure that the shanks are completely submerged. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
• After brining, remove the shanks from the brining liquid to a baking sheet lined with a clean kitchen towel to dry off a bit. Discard the brining liquid.
• For the braise: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Heat a large Dutch oven or roasting pan over medium-high heat. Pour in enough oil so that it covers the bottom of the Dutch oven or roasting pan completely. Put some flour in a shallow dish. Add a heavy pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper to the flour and whisk to combine. Dredge the shanks in the flour, shaking off the excess, and add them to the pan. In order to get a nice even golden-brown sear, you don't want to overcrowd the pan. (Do this step in two batches if necessary.) Brown the shanks on all sides, a few minutes per side, then remove to a plate while you sear the rest.
• Add the celery, onions, carrots, garlic, rosemary and thyme with a large pinch of salt. Sweat the vegetables until tender, about 5 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and reduce by three-quarters. Add the apple cider and reduce by half. Add half the chicken stock and bring the braising liquid up to a simmer. Taste it for seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper if necessary. Place the shanks back into the pan; the liquid should go about halfway up the shanks. If it does not, add the rest of the liquid until it reaches the desired half. Put the pan in the oven and cook until the meat is tender, about 200 degrees F when checked with a meat thermometer, 4 to 5 hours.
• Remove the shanks from the oven and carefully transfer the shanks to another large pan. Then strain the braising liquid over the shanks. Cool them in the liquid overnight in the refrigerator.
• The next day, reheat the shanks in their liquid. Then remove them to a large serving platter. Spoon some of the braising liquid over the meat.

YUCATAN STYLE PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the annatto seeds, vinegar, olive oil, oregano, coriander, cumin, black pepper, chiles and garlic in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Rub the paste all over the pork shoulder. Lay one banana leave in the bottom of a deep hotel pan, then place the rubbed pork on top. Add the orange and lime juices, then add the salt. Lay the remaining banana leaf over top. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 5 to 6 hours.
• Remove the pork and allow to cool. Remove the fat and bone and shred the meat. Then serve while hot, it's ready to eat.

PORK SHANK, YUCATáN STYLE

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the seasoning paste. Then, cut the tough outside layer of skin off the shank. Cover the pork all over with the seasoning paste. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. 2. Preheat oven to 350°. Put 1 sheet of foil large enough to completely wrap 1 pork shank onto a flat surface, and cut the banana leaf to about the same size. Put the banana leaf on top of the foil. Lay the pork shank in the center of the banana leaf. Top the meat with half of the tomatoes, half the epazote, and half the pepper slices. Sprinkle with half the vinegar and salt. Wrap the pork completely in the banana leaf. Then fold the foil around the outside to make a tight seal. 3. Put the package on a large baking sheet. Repeat with the other shank. Cook in the oven 2 hours or until the meat is very tender when pierced with a fork. Open one package to test tenderness and drain off excess fat. Serve the shanks while hot, on the plate with the cooked tomatoes and peppers.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

YUCATECAN-STYLE PORK

Steps:

• Put pork in a large bowl and rub with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons juice.
• Toast peppercorns, cumin, and allspice together, then cool slightly. Transfer to grinder along with annatto seeds and grind to a powder. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt using side of a large heavy knife. Add to ground spices along with oregano and remaining 6 tablespoons juice and stir to make a paste.
• Toss pork with paste to coat well. Add onion and toss to combine.
• Holding both ends of a banana leaf, drag leaf over a burner on moderately high heat slowly until it changes color slightly and becomes shinier, then turn over and toast other side. Toast remaining banana leaves in same manner.
• Line roasting pan with leaves, shinier sides down, by arranging 1 leaf lengthwise and 2 leaves crosswise, letting excess hang over sides. Trim overhang to about 8 inches on all sides.
• Transfer pork mixture to banana leaves, then fold overhang of leaves over pork to enclose completely. Cover pan tightly with foil and chill, at least 6 hours.
• Put oven rack in middle position, then put pan with pork in oven and heat to 400°F (to take chill off pork gently).
• Once oven has reached 400°F, bake until pork is very tender, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours.
• Discard foil and open banana leaves, then serve pork with salsa and tortillas.