Not exactly a dish, but the ideal filling for tacos and a preparation that plays many other roles, too. Use it to augment bean and rice dishes or to stuff cabbage, grape leaves, empanadas, or almost anything else. Do not use any cut of pork other than shoulder here; all others are more likely to become tough than tender.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 or more servings
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large white onion, peeled and quartered
5 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 ancho or other large mild dried chile, optional
Salt and black pepper to taste
Preparation
Step 1
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan with a lid and add water to cover. Turn the heat to high, bring to a boil, and skim any foam that comes to the surface. Partially cover and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily. Cook until the meat is quite tender, about an hour, then cool.
Step 2
Shred the meat with your fingers. Taste and adjust the seasoning; use within a couple of days.
The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.
MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
