Ingredients

Pork and Sauce

• 1 (3-lb/1.36 kg) boneless pork shoulder, fat cap trimmed to 1/4 inch, sliced against the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slabs
• 12 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) of water
• 1 1/4 pounds (567 g) plum tomatoes, cored and quartered
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3/4 tsp (4 ml) sugar
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) ground cloves
• 2 lime wedges

Toppings

• 1 pineapple
• 1 onion
• 1/2 cup (15 g) chopped cilantro
• Lime wedges

Steps

1. Toast chiles until fragrant in Dutch oven.
2. Add rest of sauce ingredients except pork and lime.
3. Simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Blend into puree and strain with fine mesh strainer.
5. Keep sauce and discard thick stuff.
6. Simmer pork in strained sauce for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. Pork should be tender but still hold together.
7. Remove pork.
8. Discard all but 1/2 cup (120 ml) sauce. Add lime wedges and salt to taste.
9. Salt pork, brush with 1/4 cup (60 ml) sauce, and sear on both sides.
10. Cut up pork, toss with remaining 1/4 cup (60 ml) sauce.
11. Serve with lime, onions, cilantro, and grilled pineapple.
12. (Optional) Cut pineapple in rounds. Brush with salt and oil and grill.

Pairings

• Wine: Dry Rosé – chilled, fruity, cuts pineapple and pork fat; Garnacha – juicy red for guajillo and spice
• Beer: Mexican Lager – cold and light against chili and pineapple; Vienna Lager – toasty malt for the pork