recipes
Xoco Carnitas Torta with Cilantro Lime Crema
INGREDIENTS
Xoco Carnitas Torta
5 1/2 lbs. boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
2 1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil
1 1/2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder or 1/4 of an ancho chile
1 teaspoon chile powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 bottles Speakeasy Sutro Stout
10 torta rolls
2 avocados, thinly sliced
water
Cilantro Lime Crema
1 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 small shallot, finely diced
1/4 minced cilantro
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper
PREPARATION
Xoco Carnitas Torta
1. Rub the pieces of pork shoulder all over with salt. Refrigerate for 1 – 3 days. (You can skip this step if you want, just be sure to salt the pork before searing the meat in the next step.)
2. Heat the oil in a dutch oven set on the stove top. Cook the pieces of pork shoulder in a single layer until very well-browned, turning them as little as possible so they get nice and dark before flipping them around. If your cooking vessel is too small to cook them in a single layer, cook them in two batches.
3. Once all the pork is browned, remove them from the pot and blot away any excess fat with a paper towel, then pour in about a cup of Sutro Stout (or other stout beer), scraping the bottom of the pan with a flat-edged utensil to release all the tasty brown bits.
4. Heat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees.
5. Add the pork back to the pan and add the rest of the Sutro Stout, continuing to fill with water until the pork pieces are 2/3rd’s submerged in liquid. Add the cinnamon stick and stir in the chile powders, bay leaves, cumin and garlic.
6. Braise in the oven, uncovered, for 3 1/2 hours, turning the pork a few times during cooking, until much of the liquid is evaporated and the pork is falling apart. Remove the pan from the oven and lift the pork pieces out of the liquid. Set them on a platter.
7. Once the pork pieces are cool enough to handle, shred them into bite-sized pieces, about 2 inches (7 cm), discarding any obvious big chunks of fat (if you wish).
8. Return the pork pieces back to the roasting pan and cook in the oven, turning occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the pork is crispy and caramelized. It will depend on how much liquid the pork gave off, and how crackly you want them.
9. Serve on a fresh torta roll, with sliced avocados and cilantro lime crema.
Cilantro Lime Crema
1. In a medium sized bowl, slowly whisk the heavy cream into the sour cream.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, season to taste.
4. Pour 1 – 2 tablespoons onto Xoco Carnitas Torta.
RECIPE NOTES
Makes 10 servings.
