Falomir-Style Pork Asado

Ingredients

Pork and sauce

• 500 g (1.1 lb) meaty pork ribs, cut between the bones
• 500 g (1.1 lb) boneless pork shoulder or leg, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 75 g (2⅔ oz) dried chile colorado or guajillo, stems and seeds removed after weighing
• 50 g (about ⅓ cup) hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tablespoon lard or neutral oil
• 1 teaspoon fine salt to start, plus more to taste
• 3 cups unsalted pork or chicken broth, plus more as needed
• Optional: 1 tablespoon flour mixed with 2 tablespoons cool water, only if the finished sauce needs thickening

Method

1. Tenderize the pork.

   Put both pork cuts in a heavy pot with 2 cups broth and the salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until almost tender, about 60–90 minutes, adding a little broth as needed. Lift out the meat and reserve the liquid.

2. Prepare the sauce.

   Simmer the cleaned chiles in water for 15–20 minutes until soft. Toast the pepitas in a dry skillet just until fragrant; do not darken them. Blend the drained chiles, garlic, oregano, pepitas, and 1 cup reserved cooking liquid until very smooth. Strain if skins remain.

3. Brown and finish.

   Heat the lard in the emptied pot. Pat the pork dry and brown it in batches. Add the sauce carefully, then enough reserved broth for a spoonable consistency. Cover and simmer 20–40 minutes, until the meat yields easily to a fork. Stir often: ground seeds can catch on the bottom.

4. Adjust and serve.

   If thin, reduce uncovered first. Only if necessary, add the flour slurry a little at a time and simmer at least 5 minutes. Taste for salt. Serve with green rice and flour tortillas.

Kitchen notes

Heat

Add one softened chile de árbol when blending for a hotter sauce. Taste before adding more.

For cooked dishes, cool promptly and follow the storage and reheating guide. Follow the shorter storage directions above where given.