Carnitas de Puerco con Salsa Borracha:
Pork tacos with drunken Salsa
Recipe courtesy of The Baja Brewing Company/ Cabotella (cabotella.com)
Makes 4 servings
2 1⁄2 lb. package of pork loins (normally 2 in a package)
5 serrano chilies 2 jalapeño chilies
4 ripe tomatoes1 lg. white onion quartered 6 cloves of garlic1 bunch of cilantro2 bottles CABOTELLA beer
Olive oil1 t. salt1 t. black pepper1 t. oregano1⁄2 t. cinnamon
Corn tortillas
The pork:
Remove and clean the 2 pieces of pork loin, being sure to remove the silver tendons. To make the marinade, combine the salt, pepper, oregano, cinnamon, 1⁄4 of white onion finely diced, 2 cloves of garlic minced and 1 bottle of CABOTELLA beer in a large sealable plastic bag. Place the pork in the bag and be sure to remove any excess air before sealing. Marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours.
After the pork has been marinated remove from the bag but be sure to save the liquid. Add the pork to a pot of boiling water. Cook for about 15 minutes per pound or until the center is a little pink. When the pork is done, remove the pork and pat dry. Heat your grill pan on medium/high heat along with some olive oil. Place your loins in the pan and add a cup of the reserved marinade. Cook until the pork has a golden sheen and great grill marks. The sauce will have mostly evaporated but has flavored the meat nicely. Allow to rest.
The Salsa:
While the pork is marinating, place a grill pan on medium heat. Add olive oil and grill the remaining 3⁄4 white onion, 5 serranos, 2 jalapeños, 4 ripe tomatoes, and 4 cloves of garlic. Depending on how big your grill pan is, you may have to do this in parts. Grill until softened and with nice markings.
In a larger pot or in the same grill pan, add a bottle of CABOTELLA beer and simmer until reduced by half. Let cool. Seed and stem the chiles. In a molcajete, crush the ingredients to the consistency of a chunky salsa. If you don’t have a molcajete, you can use a blender but be careful not to over blend— salsa should be chunky and recognizable. Chop the cilantro and add it, and salt to taste. Can be made ahead of time.
To serve: Cut the loin into half-inch cubes and warm your corn tortillas. Add salsa on top of taco.