Makes enough for 24 taquitos
- Active time:25 min
- Start to finish:1 day (includes marinating)
June 2009
Pork shoulder is usually considered a braising cut, but when it’s marinated, grilled, and sliced thin, it’s tender and juicy. The chile-based adobo (marinade) relies on the combination of guajillos and pullas to provide a rich, mellow heat.
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15
dried guajillo chiles (1 3/4 oz), wiped clean, then stemmed, seeded, and opened flat
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3
dried pulla chiles or chiles de árbol, wiped clean, then stemmed and seeded
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1
teaspoon
dried oregano
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1
teaspoon
ground cumin
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1/8
teaspoon
ground cloves
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8
garlic cloves
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3
tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil
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2
tablespoons
cider vinegar
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2
lb
boneless pork shoulder, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
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Heat a comal or a dry 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron; not nonstick) over medium heat until hot. Cook chiles in batches, turning with tongs, until blackened in spots, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with water, then simmer until chiles are softened, about 15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid, then drain chiles. Purée chiles in a blender with reserved liquid, oregano, spices, garlic, oil, vinegar, and 2 tsp salt until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids.
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Rub marinade all over pork and chill at least 1 day.
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Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas); see “
Grilling Procedure.”
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Oil grill rack, then grill pork in batches, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into bite-size pieces.
Cooks’ note: Pork can be marinated up to 2 days.