Pork & Guajillo Chile Mole Stew

Pork simmered in a mildly spicy guajillo chile mole sauce

Now that it's officially winter, I'm all about creating rich, hearty stews and braises in my dutch oven. This recipe from the Canal House is just the thing to make on a cold day when you have a few hours to dedicate to slow-coooking. If you've never made mole before, this is a great version to try because it's fairly quick and doesn't require too many ingredients. The base of the mole is dried guajillo chiles, which get reconstituted in chicken broth and blended with almonds, raisins, and spices into a thick paste. As the mole and pork simmer together, the flavors intensify and the sauce thickens to form a rich gravy around the tender chunks of pork. Serve it with some cornbread on the side for a satisfying winter meal.


Related Recipes:
- Pork Carnitas
- White Chicken Chili
- Pork Green Chili


Pork & Guajillo Chile Mole Stew:
Ingredients
- 3 lb. boneless pork butt, trimmed of large pieces of fat, cut into 1" cubes,
- 3-4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 1/2 c. raisins
- 1/3 c. blanched almonds
- 1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tbsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 5 black peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
- fresh cilantro and a lime, to garnish

Recipe

• Heat a dry skillet over medium high heat and toast the guajillo chiles for 30-60 seconds.
• Remove the chiles to a bowl and pour 1 c. hot chicken broth on top. Let sit for 30 minutes, or until the chiles are soft and pliable.
• In the same skillet, toast the almonds for a minute until golden brown, then place in a food processor with the salt, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and peppercorns.
• Grind until everything forms a very fine powder.
• Add in the chiles and their soaking liquid and the raisins and puree until smooth.
• Heat 1 tbsp. canola oil in the same skillet over medium high heat. Add in the guajillo chile mole and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until it turns one shade darker.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp. canola oil in a large pot or dutch oven over high heat.
• Add in half the pork, season with salt and pepper, and sear until brown on the outside, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate and repeat with the other half of the meat.
• Add the onion to the pot and stir, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the onions are soft.
• Add the pork and any accumulated juices from the plate, the mole, and 2 c. chicken broth to the pot with the onions and stir to combine.
• Bring to a simmer over, cover with a lid, and cook over low heat for 2 - 2 1/2 hours (or until pork is tender), stirring occasionally.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro and a wedge of lime.

Serves four