Best Yucatan Pork Stew With Ancho Chiles Recipes

Pork and Ancho Stew image

Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network

Time 3h50m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

4 dried ancho chiles, seeded and stemmed
4 cups chicken stock
3 to 3 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks for stewing
Salt and pepper
Salt and pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
6 to 8 cloves garlic, smashed from skins
3 to 4 medium carrots, chopped
2 large fresh bay leaves or dried pimento leaves
2 onions, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch ground cloves
Small piece cinnamon stick
2 limes, juiced
One 28- to 32-ounce can plum tomatoes
Handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Serving suggestions: white rice and sliced fresh or pickled jalapeno peppers

Steps:

Add the anchos to a medium pot with the chicken stock, and bring to a simmer. Heat until the chiles are softened, about 15 minutes.
Pat the meat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven with the oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meat in batches and remove to a plate. Add more oil, as necessary. Add the garlic, carrots, bay leaves, onions, jalapenos, cumin, cloves and some salt and pepper. Cook partially covered for a few minutes.
Puree the anchos and stock together. Add the ancho stock to the Dutch oven with the cinnamon stick, lime juice, tomatoes (mash up the tomatoes a bit). Stir in the cilantro and return the pork to the Dutch oven. Stir, cover and cook over low heat 2 1/2 to 3 hours until very tender, stirring occasionally. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Cool completely and store in the refrigerator for a make-ahead meal.
Reheat over medium heat. Serve with rice and jalapenos.

Savory and Sweet Pork Stew with Ancho Chiles image

Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network

Categories main-dish

Time 2h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

1 medium red onion, sliced
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
5 or 6 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup blanched whole almonds
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
1 tablespoon unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or made into a paste
1 small yellow onion, chopped
Handful of raisins
2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into bite-size cubes
About 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, plus more for drizzling
2 large bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
12 flour or corn tortillas
Queso fresco or Cotija cheese, crumbled

Steps:

Separate the red onions into rings and place in a small plastic container. Dress with the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
Place the ancho chiles in a pot and cover with the chicken stock. Turn on the heat and warm the stock to reconstitute the chiles, 10 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, toast the almonds and peanuts over medium heat until browned. Transfer the nuts to a food processor. Reserve the pot. Add the ancho chiles with the stock to the food processor along with the cocoa powder, cloves, garlic, yellow onions and raisins. Season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. (You may need to do this in two batches.)
Pat the pork dry and heat a thin layer of oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper, then brown in two batches, adding more oil between batches as needed. Return all the pork to the pot and pour the ancho sauce over it. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the pork is very tender, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours (depending on how large you cubed the meat).
Warm or char the tortillas. Serve the stew with the lime-pickled onions, crumbled cheese and the tortillas.
Cook's Note: If you are not serving the pork immediately, cool and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium heat.