Mexican Pork Roast

Halloween planning. Liam wants to be a firefighter because the Engine 7 house is two blocks from us on Dorchester Street and he has been watching the trucks with devotion his whole life. He knows the truck numbers. He knows the shift patterns. He tells Nora about the trucks on walks. The firefighter costume is entirely correct and I'm not adjusting it.

Nora is eight months and I'm already thinking about her first birthday in April, which is six months away and which I know from experience moves faster than it sounds. She'll be old enough to eat smash cake—the one I made for Liam, the chocolate with the vanilla frosting, the one where you put it in front of them and step back. I'm already thinking about whether to make it pink (which she can't prefer yet, she's eight months) or red (because why not) or yellow (because joy) or chocolate brown (which is honest). I'm going to make it chocolate. Because I know what's good.

Made pozole on Sunday—the red one, the long version with the dried chiles—because October pozole is a thing I do now, same as the September shakshuka. The calendar of cooking. Liam called the hominy "big round things" to distinguish from the regular "round things" (chickpeas). His taxonomy is developing specificity. I appreciate the precision.

Sean and I watched a movie on Friday after both kids were in bed. We have not done this—watched an actual movie, not a half-watched thing while one of us managed a child—in approximately ten months. It was a simple movie and it was excellent. The doing of an ordinary thing after a long absence is its own event.

The pozole on Sunday was the long version—dried chiles toasted and soaked, the broth going low and slow until the whole house smelled like October is supposed to smell. The pork is the thing that makes it worth the wait, and this Mexican pork roast is exactly the cut I reach for: rubbed with warm spices, braised until it surrenders completely, the kind of thing that makes Liam’s “big round things” (hominy, obviously) taste even better floating alongside it.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 3 hr 30 min | Total Time: 3 hr 50 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

3–4 lb bone-in pork shoulder roast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, smashed
2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
2 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
1 can (14 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken or pork broth
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and sliced radishes for serving

Instructions

Toast the chiles. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the ancho and guajillo chiles for 30–60 seconds per side until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 15 minutes until softened. Drain and set aside.
Season the pork. Combine salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, and cayenne. Pat the pork roast dry and rub the spice mixture all over the surface.
Sear the roast. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the pork on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Build the sauce. In the same pot, cook the onion over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the smashed garlic and cook 1 minute more. Transfer the onion, garlic, softened chiles, fire-roasted tomatoes, and vinegar to a blender. Blend until smooth.
Braise. Pour the chile sauce into the Dutch oven and add the broth. Return the seared pork to the pot, nestling it into the sauce. The liquid should come about halfway up the roast. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly, and cook on low heat (or in a 325°F oven) for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning the roast once halfway through, until the meat is fall-apart tender.
Rest and shred. Remove the pork and let it rest for 10 minutes. Shred or slice as desired. Skim any excess fat from the braising liquid and taste for seasoning.
Serve. Ladle the pork and chile broth into bowls. Serve with fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and sliced radishes. Add hominy to the pot if making pozole.

Nutrition (per serving)

Mexican Pork Roast — The Sunday Pozole That Became a Ritual