Best Yucatán Pork Stew With Ancho Chiles And Lime Juice Recipes

SAVORY AND SWEET PORK STEW WITH ANCHO CHILES

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.

PERUVIAN PORK STEW WITH CHILES, LIME AND APPLES

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet and brown the pork in it on all sides; you may have to do this in batches for the most efficient browning. Meanwhile, sauté the onions and apples in a pan with the chiles, bay leaves and cloves until the onions are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, Dutch oven or slow cooker. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles steadily but not vigorously. (If you're using a slow cooker, turn it to high and walk away for 4 or 6 hours.)
• Cook, stirring every 30 minutes or so, until the meat is very tender and just about falling apart, at least an hour. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then lower the heat (this will keep well for at least an hour before serving). Remove the meat, then reduce the broth as necessary; serve over steamed rice, garnished with cilantro.