Pulled Pork with Tomato-Habanero Salsa
Although this dish takes some thinking ahead, the long marinade makes a flavorful, tender pork roast. Serve this achiote-scented roasted pork shoulder with habanero-tomato salsa, lots of fresh corn tortillas, limes and cilantro.
Puebla-Style Roasted Pork
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in pork shoulder, about 5 pounds
- 6 tablespoons achiote paste
- 1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 8 plum tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 habanero chiles, toasted over an open flame until lightly blackened
- 1/4 cup dark beer
- Corn tortillas, lime slices and cilantro, for serving
Instructions
Stab the pork shoulder about 50 times with a thin metal skewer all over, being careful not to tear the meat.
Combine the achiote paste, orange juice and lime juice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Place the pork in a large Ziploc bag and add the achiote mixture. Squeeze to remove excess air and seal. Let marinate for 48 hours in the fridge, turning bag occasionally.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Place pork in a large roasting pan with a rack large enough to hold the pork shoulder up and out of the pan, allowing heat to circulate around the roast. Roast for 5 hours, or until the internal temperature of the roast is 160 degrees F and the meat is fork tender.
While the pork is roasting, place the oil in a large pan over high heat. Add the onions, garlic and whole tomatoes. Sprinkle with the salt. Pan roast until tomatoes and onions are caramelized and blistered. Put the onions, garlic and tomatoes in a blender.
Remove stems and seeds from habaneros, and add to the blender along with the beer. Process until smooth and reserve to the refrigerator while the pork roasts.
When the meat is done roasting, let it rest for 45 minutes. Shred pork, discarding bones. Serve with salsa, plenty of tortillas, limes and cilantro.
Photographs by Madeleine Hill.
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