Tender Yucateco Pork
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • 4-5 pound pork shoulder blade roast
  • 2 ounces achiote paste
  • 6 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
  • ½ red onion (save the other half for the Xni-pec)
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 1 Tablespoon orange zest
  • ½ cup apple cider vinetar
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • 10 whole cloves (or ¼ teaspoon ground)
  • 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half (or ¼ teaspoon ground)
  • 8 whole allspice (or ¼ teaspoon ground)
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped - or more to taste
  • XNI-PEC:
  • 2 cups chopped red cabbage
  • ½ red onion, chopped
  • 1 habanero pepper, chopped finely
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped finely
  • 1 cup grated carrot
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon allspice
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Chopped cilantro, if desired
Instructions
  1. Place pork in a large crock pot.
  2. Put in a blender: achiote paste, garlic, onion, lime juice, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, cumin, chili powder, pepper, salt, and oregano. Blend until smooth. Pour over the meat.
  3. Sprinkle with cloves, cinnamon stick, allspice, and chopped pepper..
  4. Cover and cook on high for one hour. Turn heat to low and cook for 5 hours, or until meat is fall-apart tender, turning the meat over once during the cook time. Remove the pork to a platter or baking dish and shred, using 2 forks. Remove and discard any large pieces of fat or whole spices. Strain the juice from the crock pot to remove whole spices and return the juice and meat to the pot, keeping it on warm until you are ready to serve.
  5. Combine all of the ingredients for the Xni-pec. Allow to sit for 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
  6. Serve the pork in hot corn tortillas. Top with xni-pec and a little sour cream.
Recipe by The Rowdy Baker at http://www.therowdybaker.com/?p=3642