Recipe courtesy of El Mirasol Cocina Mexicana
Chicharron en Salsa (Chicharron in Sauce)
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 6 servings
- Calories
- 1830
- Total Fat
- 182
- Saturated Fat
- 21
- Carbohydrates
- 11
- Dietary Fiber
- 3
- Sugar
- 6
- Protein
- 42
- Cholesterol
- 141
- Sodium
- 1307
- Total: 2 hr 45 min
- Active: 1 hr
Ingredients
Chicharron:
4 cups canola oil or 1 pound lard
3 pounds pork butt or pork belly (thick layer of fat)
2 tablespoons salt
Salsa Verde:
1 pound green tomatillos (about 8 medium)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cloves garlic
1 pickled jalapeño
Salsa Roja de Tomate:
1 pound fresh tomatoes (around 4 medium)
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon salt
2 medium cloves garlic
1 pickled jalapeño
Assembly:
Canola oil, for cooking
1/2 white onion, thinly chopped
4 stalks fresh green onions, cut into 1-inch dice
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Directions
- For the chicharron: Preheat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add the oil or lard. Cut the pork into even 2 1/2-inch squares to ensure even cooking. Once the oil is hot, slowly add the pork. (You can tell that the oil or lard is ready by adding a small slice of onion. If you see the onion sizzling, then the pot is ready for the meat.) Avoid dropping the meat in; you do not want the oil or lard to splash. If you see it boiling, just slowly stir; you do not want the meat to stick to the pot. Continue to cook until the meat turns a brown caramel color, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Once the fat is gone, add the salt to the pot. Let cook for about 5 minutes more, then take the pork out to a colander to release any extra oils.
- For the salsa verde: In a small pot, add the tomatillos in 1 cup water. Cook over medium-high heat until they go from a bright green color to a light brownish green color, about 8 minutes. Transfer the tomatillos to a blender and add the cilantro, Mexican oregano, salt, cumin, garlic and pickled jalapeño. Blend together, adding a bit of the water the tomatillos were cooked in. (The sauce should be on the thinner side.) Set aside.
- For the salsa roja de tomate: In a medium pot, bring to a boil the tomatoes with 2 cups water on medium-high heat. Cook until the tomatoes begin to slightly peel, then take them out and add to a blender with the oregano, salt, garlic and pickled jalapeño. (The sauce should the same consistency as the salsa verde.) Set aside.
- To assemble the chicharron en salsa: In a large saute pan, add some oil and heat on medium-high heat. Saute the onions, green onions and garlic. Add the chicharrones and mix together. Add equal parts salsa verde and salsa roja de tomate. Reduce the heat and have it simmer for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, plate and enjoy.
Cook’s Note
Taste the salsas as you go. You can always add salt, but it is hard to remove once it's been added.