Best Pulled Pork Chilaquiles Recipes

CHILAQUILES WITH CHORIZO

Steps:

• Remove the chorizo from its casing by splitting 1 end and squeezing out the meat. In a large heavy-bottomed high-sided saute pan, fry the chorizo in the oil until it is grainy but still soft, about 4 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to break up the meat and prevent a crust from forming on the bottom of the pan. Set aside and keep hot.
• In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, stir the salsa with a wooden spoon until hot and sputtering. Add half the tortilla chips and stir to coat with the salsa, then cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the rest of the tortilla chips, stir to coat with the salsa, and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 to 5 additional minutes. There should be a nice mix of very soft and still slightly crunchy chips when the chiliqueles are finished. Remove from the heat and use a slotted spoon or tongs to heap generous portions into each of 4 bowls. While still piping hot, top with the grated Cheddar and Montery Jack cheeses, chorizo, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkling of red onion and cilantro. Serve hot with Guacamole on the side.
• In a medium stock pot, place the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, and garlic and cover with 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil over high heat and let cook 5 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a blender and puree until smooth with the cilantro and salt. If the salsa is too thick (it should have the consistency of a very thick soup), add a little of the cooking liquid. Check seasoning and add additional salt, if necessary, and pepper, to taste.
• In a large high-sided saute pan over medium heat, bring the oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the chips in small batches until crisp and lightly golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. (They will continue to darken while resting.) With tongs or a metal frying ladle, transfer the chips to a large bowl lined with paper towels. Season with the salt and paprika while still warm. Repeat with the remaining chips.

MOM'S RED CHILE CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Preheat a small skillet on medium-high heat. Pour in the grapeseed oil and add the onion. Let the onions sizzle and saute slightly until golden brown. Add the Chips on top of the onions and stir.
• Add Mom's Red Chile Sauce over the top of the chips and simmer for 20 seconds. Pour the contents of the skillet into a serving bowl.
• Using serving tongs, add the Pulled Pork to the top of the chips.
• Add the avocado on top of the pork, then set the Poached Egg on top of the avocado slices.
• Sprinkle the chopped scallions and queso fresco over the top of the chips. Add small dollops of the Onion Date Jam on top of the chips.
• Add the microgreens to garnish the top of the egg.
• Cut each tortilla into 6 triangular pieces. Put aside.
• In a deep saucepot, add the oil and heat on medium-high heat until the oil is at 350 degrees F or is creating movement in the pot, 15 to 20 minutes. Add some of the tortilla triangles to the oil. Let fry, moving them around with a long-handled metal slotted spoon or spider, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a sheet pan lined with paper towels to absorb the oil. While chips are still hot and slightly oily, sprinkle a generous amount of salt over them. Repeat the process with the remaining tortilla pieces.
• Add the chile pods to 6 cups of the filtered water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then let boil until the chile pods soften, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for 30 minutes before adding to a blender. Confirm that the blender top is snugly fitted before blending. Holding a folded kitchen towel on top of the blender lid, turn the blender on low speed, gently blending the water and pods together until a bright red puree develops. Pour the blended puree mixture through a sieve into a deep container to catch the chile puree. Press the chile pod skins with the back of a rubber spatula against the sieve to extract the maximum amount of red chile puree.
• Transfer the puree to a saucepan, then add the remaining 1 cup filtered water on low heat and whisk in the cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and salt.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a baking dish, put the cushion meat. Pour 3 cups water over the meat, then make the dry rub. In a bowl, combine the cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Pinch generous amounts of dry rub and press onto the cushion meat, coating the top and sides thoroughly.
• Cover with foil and bake for 4 hours. Remove the baking dish and let sit for 30 minutes before pulling the meat apart with 2 forks. Mix the shredded pork with the pan drippings in the baking dish.
• Heat 2 cups water in a saucepan on high heat and bring to a boil. Add the vinegar and stir the water in a counterclockwise motion. Crack open the egg into a small bowl. Pour the egg out of the bowl into the whirlpool of boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Scoop out and add to the Chilaquiles or serve on top of toast.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil, then onions and dates. Stir and cook until the onions have caramelized into a dark golden brown color, about 25 minutes.
• Add the filtered water and bring to a boil. Add the raw sugar and stir until it has dissolved and the onion date jam has cooked down and is thick and caramelized.

CITRUS-BRAISED PORK

Steps:

• Mix orange juice, onion, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, brown sugar, salt, oregano, cumin, lime zest, pepper, and bay leaves in a heavy Dutch oven. Add pork shoulder; turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, 4 hours to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Remove Dutch oven from the refrigerator and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake pork in the preheated oven until heated through, about 1 1/2 hours. Flip pork carefully. Replace foil and bake for 1 hour more. Remove aluminum foil. Continue baking uncovered, turning once halfway through, until pork falls apart and marinade is reduced, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Remove pork from oven and let rest for 20 minutes. Shred pork in the Dutch oven using 2 forks; mix shredded pork with the reduced marinade. Discard bay leaves.

SHORTCUT CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Place half the onions in a small bowl and cover with lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, toss and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large skillet (12-inch works well) over medium-high heat. Add remaining onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until they are tender and starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and half of chile (if using) and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have started to burst and simmer in their own juices, 5 to 8 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and continue to simmer until tomatoes are totally softened and melted down, another 5 to 8 minutes; larger bits of the skin are O.K., but they should feel mostly broken down into a nice, thick sauce.
• Add chips and toss to coat evenly. Simmer a minute or two and remove the pan from the heat while you fry the eggs.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in another large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggs and season with salt and pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until the whites of the egg are fried and lightly crisped but the yolks are still bright orange and runny, about 2 minutes.
• Divide chips among plates and top with fried egg, queso fresco, cilantro, crema, remaining green chile, reserved red onions and a squeeze of lime if you like.