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Asado de Puerco
There are two unusual avocado ingredients in this recipe, leaves and a bit of the pit: You can skip both or just one, if you want, but they add flavor.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 309 kcal
Course:
Main Course , Lunch
Cuisine:
Mexican
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder (see above for alternatives)
- salt
- 3 avocado leaves, or bay leaves
- 1/4 cup lard, bacon fat or oil
- 100 grams dried guajillo chiles, 3.5 ounces
- 100 grams dried pasilla or ancho chiles, 3.5 ounces
- 10 grams arbol or cascabel chiles, about 5 to 7
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 5 crushed cloves, or 1/4 teaspoon ground
- 1/8 to 1/4 avocado pit (optional)
- Zest of an orange
- juice of an orange
Instructions
- Cut the pork into chunks between 1 and 2 inches across. Just barely cover with water and bring this to a simmer. Skim any froth. Add salt to taste and the avocado leaves and simmer uncovered until the water has almost cooked away.
- Meanwhile, pour boiling water over the guajillo, ancho and arbol chiles and let them steep to rehydrate.
- When they're soft, add the chiles, the garlic, cumin, thyme, cloves and avocado pit to a blender. Add some water or stock and puree. You want this to be about as thick as melted ice cream or housepaint.
- When the water is almost all gone, remove the avocado leaves and add the lard. Turn the heat to medium-high and brown the pork, stirring often.
- Once the pork has browned, pour in a little water or stock and use a wooden spoon to remove any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Now pour in the contents of the blender and stir. Add a little water to the blender to get any good stuff out of it and add that to the pot, too. Return the avocado leaves to the pot, add the orange juice and zest and salt everything to taste. Let this simmer until the sauce thickens a bit, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve alongside rice and beans, or in a corn tortilla.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Some cooks add a bottle of Mexican coke to the mix; this is most common in Coahuila.
- You can skip the orange juice and use 1/4 cup of cider vinegar.
- Sometimes you will see a little Mexican chocolate added. If you want to do this, grate 1/2 a Mexican chocolate tablet and add it to the blender.
Nutrition Information
Calories
309kcal
(15%)
Carbohydrates
19g
(6%)
Protein
23g
(46%)
Fat
16g
(25%)
Saturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
7g
Cholesterol
77mg
(26%)
Sodium
115mg
(5%)
Potassium
857mg
(24%)
Fiber
8g
(32%)
Sugar
11g
(22%)
Vitamin A
6968IU
(139%)
Vitamin C
10mg
(11%)
Calcium
35mg
(4%)
Iron
3mg
(17%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 309
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 309kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 19g | 6% |
| Protein | 23g | 46% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 77mg | 26% |
| Sodium | 115mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 857mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 6968IU | 139% |
| Vitamin C | 10mg | 11% |
| Calcium | 35mg | 4% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.