am a born and bred Memphian, so pulled pork is sort of my native foodway. I have had more pulled pork sandwiches in my lifetime than I could ever count. I first had chilorio after a friend introduced me to it a Mexican restaurant and I immediately loved this rich variant. I read up on it and decided to work out my own recipe for a party I hosted for several years (before the pandemic shut it down) around the Day of the Dead at the beginning of November, featuring a taco bar with several filling options (check out my chicken tinga too). I loved that party and I love chilorio because I love interactive food. One central theme that every diner can customize to their own tastes, which leads to conversations and laughs. My reading tells me chilorio hail from the Sinaloa province in Mexico, though I am no expert. I like to make it in the slow cooker because it is easy of course, but it also produces the most tender, falling apart meat.
Chilorio is packed with flavor from citric orange juice (which also tenderizes) and rich dried chiles. It is not spicy-hot, just deeply flavorful and layered. You could add a spicer Anaheim or cascabel to the chile mix if you need to. Boneless pork shoulder or Boston but cut into pieces slowly simmered in the rich sauce creates a really layered dish (and your house will smell fantastic). Traditionally, chilorio pork is cooked then a sauce added in but I do it all at once here for ease, but this method produces more sauce than needed – after you have shredded the pork, spoon over just enough to moisten the meat, not have it swimming in liquid. I love this as a taco filling, folded into toasted corn tortillas, topped with pickled red onions, cilantro, and cotija cheese. Diced avocado or avocado sauce or some fresh salsa are other great additions, but get creative! It is also great over rice or served with beans or as a filling for a torta or burrito. It is just an altogether useful and delicious meal, perfect for a Cinco de Mayo celebration.
Ingredients
2 dried ancho chiles
2 dried guajillo chiles
1 ½ cups orange juice
½ cup cider vinegar
6 cloves garlic
½ cup cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons cumin, divided
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (or Greek)
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes
Corn or flour tortillas
Topping options : crumbled cotija or queso fresco, pickled red onions, diced avocado or avocado sauce, chopped cilantro, fresh salsa
Directions
- Cut the stems from the dried chiles and remove the seeds. Place in a small bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Leave to sit for 30 minutes. Put the orange juice, vinegar, garlic, cilantro, 1 teaspoon cumin, salt and oregano in the carafe of a blender. Lift the chiles out of the water (discard the soaking water) and place in the blender. Blend until smooth and combined.
- Spray the liner of a crockpot with cooking spray. Put the pork in the crock and sprinkle over the remaining 1 teaspoon cumin and the salt over the top. Toss with your hands to coat the meat, rubbing it in a bit. Pour the sauce over the meat, then stir to coat. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 – 7 hours or high for 4. When the meat is completely tender and falling apart, lift it out of the liquid to a large bowl. Shred the pork using a hand mixer, which I think is easiest, or with two forks. Spoon over some of the cooking liquid – chilorio should be moist, but not swimming in liquid, so you won’t use it all.
- If you make this ahead, transfer the liquid to an airtight container and keep in the fridge. Return the meat to the slow cooker to keep warm. Add a bit more liquid if needed to keep it moist.
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