Titi's Pork Tinga

Ingredients

Meat

2.5 lbs pork butt aka Boston butt

3 bay leaves

5 allspice berries (pimienta gorda)

2 whole cloves

Root end of one onion

1 big garlic clove

1 tablespoon of grain salt

Water to cover the meat

Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium white onion, 3/4 cut julienned and 1/4 in a piece

2 large garlic cloves

4 large tomatoes (1 lb), 3 sliced into large chunks, and 1 cut diced

1 or 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (4 teaspoons)

2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder

1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano

Salt and pepper, to taste 

To Serve

White rice and beans

or with tortillas, lime, cilantro, cotija cheese, and avocado slices to make tacos

Directions
1. Cut the meat. Cut the meat in 2-inch pieces against the grain. The meat will shrink by about half as it cooks. 

2. Cook the meat.  To the pot of a pressure cooker add the meat, bay leaves, allspice, cloves, onion, garlic, and salt. Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to cool before opening. Shred the meat using two forks. Set aside.

3. Sautee the onions. Add oil to a big pot set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Set aside.

4. Make the sauce. Add the tomato chunks, onion piece, garlic, chipotle chili, and chicken bouillon to a blender and blend to liquify. 

5. Cook the sauce. Add the sauce to the pot with the onions and add the Mexican oregano and pepper. Simmer at medium heat until the sauce has reduced by 1/4. Taste the sauce and correct seasoning, if needed. 

6. Combine. Add the shredded meat to the sauce and set aside until ready to serve. 

 

Notes

• The original recipe calls for pork shoulder but pork butt is easier to cut and is more tender. Beef skirt can be used instead of pork. 

• Add more chipotle peppers to make it spicier.