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Colima-Style Shredded Braised Pork
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The state of Colima on the western coast of Mexico is home to the pork dish called tatemado de Colima. Dried chilies, spices and aromatics, all blended to a smooth puree, are key flavorings, but a defining ingredient, other than the pork itself, is vinegar. In her version, recipe writer Paola Briseño-González uses a generous amount of smooth-tasting, subtly sweet coconut vinegar, a common ingredient in the coconut-producing region of Colima, and after slow-cooking the pork, she shreds the meat and mixes it with the braising liquid. The flavors are rich and porky but deliciously balanced by the tangy vinegar and fresh ginger, whose sharpness disappears into the mix. We adapted González’s recipe, and in doing so, found widely available rice vinegar to be a decent alternative to coconut vinegar. Traditionally, the pork is marinated, but we shortened this step to the time it takes the oven to heat (we braise in the oven, where the heat is steady and all-encompassing); we find that no taste is lost without a long marination, as the meat does a fine job of soaking up the seasonings after it is shredded. The meat is briefly broiled after braising to develop deep browning, so you will need a broiler-safe Dutch oven for this recipe. Serve the shredded pork with rice and beans, or make tacos with it, offering shredded cabbage, chopped onion and lime wedges alongside.
8
Servings
Tip
Don’t use an uncoated cast-iron Dutch oven, even if it is well seasoned. The acidity of the vinegar may react with the metal, resulting in a tinny, “off” flavor. However, an enamel-coated Dutch oven is fine.
5¾ hours
40 minutes active
4 large (1¼ ounces) guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
5-7 pound bone-in pork butt or pork shoulder roast
2 cups coconut vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar
1 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup roughly chopped peeled fresh ginger
9 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Ingredients
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4
large (1¼ ounces) guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
-
5-7
pound bone-in pork butt or pork shoulder roast
-
2
cups coconut vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar
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1
cup coconut milk
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⅓
cup roughly chopped peeled fresh ginger
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9
medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
-
3
bay leaves
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1
tablespoon tomato paste
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½
teaspoon coriander seeds
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½
teaspoon cumin seeds
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½
teaspoon white sugar
-
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Directions
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01In a small saucepan, combine the chilies and enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high, pressing on the chilies to submerge them. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand until the chilies are fully softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, score the fat side of the pork roast with a 1-inch crosshatch pattern. Set the pork scored side up in a large Dutch oven.
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02Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chilies to a blender; discard the soaking water. Add the vinegar, coconut milk, ginger, garlic, bay, tomato paste, coriander, cumin, sugar, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the puree over the pork and rub it into the meat, then cover the pot.
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03Heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the lower-middle position. When the oven comes up to temperature, place the pot in the oven and cook until a skewer inserted into the center of the pork meets no resistance, 4½ to 5½ hours.
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04Remove the pot from the oven and heat the broiler. Return the pot, uncovered, to the oven and broil until the surface of the pork is deeply browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the pork to a large bowl and set aside. Tilt the pot to pool the braising liquid to one side, then use a wide spoon to skim off and discard fat from the surface, leaving just a couple tablespoons for flavor. You should have between 2 and 4 cups defatted braising liquid; if you have more than 2 cups, set the pot over medium-high, bring the liquid to a rapid simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 2 cups. Meanwhile, shred the pork into large bite-size pieces, discarding the bone and excess fat.
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05Return the shredded pork to the pot and stir to combine with the braising liquid. Cover and cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, just until heated through, 5 to 8 minutes, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
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Reviews
November 2, 2022
Everyone Loved this
The coconut vinegar should be ordered online, but cider vinegar works just as well. I forgot to broil it at the end, but it was still crispy and delicious.
Pungent, flavorful, enticing, and delicious: this "tatemado de Colima" makes for a huge batch of succulent, juicy meat perfect on its own with a fork—or on top of some crispy tortillas, tostada style. I followed the recipe precisely, even sourcing actual coconut vinegar which to me was closer to a woody, sherry-like vinegar than the rice vinegar suggested as a possible substitute. Coriander seeds gave a delicate floral note to the meat, while cumin gave a tobacco-like backbone. Four gaujillo chiles maybe were too few, in fact! But I rather enjoy an up-front chile flavor.
The only drawback to this dish: goodness does it stink up your house! The coconut vinegar's aroma is not unpleasant—and indeed in many ways it's almost "bready"—but it's *strong*. Five hours of coconut vinegar gently bubbling away in the oven was enough to make my house reek for three–four days or so. As much as I liked the end results, I don't think I'll ever cook this indoors again. Dutch oven? Meet the outdoor grill!
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I made this today. It was very good. My kid even so that it was his favorite dish and that Milk Streets dishes are so good. About the recipe: I could not find chilies, so I have used 2 med size red peppers. The sauce came out sour. It was "Not able to eat sour" but good sour taste. So, to balance the flavor, we have added Amy's organic Bakes Beans to tortillas when serving. These beans are sweet. We have also added avocados and tomatoes to tortillas. It's turned out pretty good.