Traditional Mexican Red Chili Pork Recipe

It’s the kind of comfort food my family lines up for during our large Mexican-American family reunions and holiday gatherings.

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 3 hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Cut 2 lbs of country style pork ribs into bite-size pieces. Leave some fat in for flavor. Pour enough canola oil (1-2 tbsp) to cover the bottom of a cast iron skillet and place over medium heat.
Brown the meat on all sides, then add enough water to submerge the meat halfway. Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the meat is tender and the water has evaporated (2-3 hours), adding more water if the skillet gets dry. The longer the meat cooks, the more tender it will be.
De-stem and de-seed enough New Mexico chile pods to fill a medium saucepan. Add water to the saucepan until it’s ¾ full and place it over medium heat. Cover with a lid.
Every 10 minutes, move the pods with tongs, transferring the bottom pods to the top. They should puff out. Once the water reaches a boil, turn off the heat and steep the pods for 30 minutes.
In sections, put the pods and a bit of the steeping water in a blender. When it blends, it should be saucy like enchilada sauce. Then process the sauce in a food mill.
Once the meat is cooked and water is evaporated, add minced garlic to the skillet until fragrant, 30 seconds. Pour in the chile sauce, add hand-crushed oregano, cumin, and sea salt to taste. Adjust seasoning as needed. Simmer for 10 minutes so the flavors meld.
Serve with flour tortillas. My family loves to have it with refried beans and a fried egg.

Keyword Mexican, pork, red chile, traditional