Seared Cuban Pork(Masa de Puerco)

from Chris Maher, Cooking Studio Taos

submitted by Kathy Lindenbaum
serves 8

1 pork shoulder (can be 2 to 6 pounds, depending on number of people served/serving size)

3 bay leaves

8 whole garlic cloves, peeled

1 tablespoon whole cumin seed

generous amount of salt and pepper

clarified butter or oil, or combo

For the garnish:

sliced onion

coarsely chopped or torn cilantro

quartered limes

Equipment:

pressure cooker (but see note below for options),

the recipe we tasted used a pressure cooker

Cut the pork, removing skin, into 2-inch cubes. In a pressure cooker, place the pork and whole garlic and fill halfway up with water. Add salt and all the spices.

Once the pot is fully pressurized, cook the pork for 22 minutes.

Remove from heat and before draining the broth prepare to SAVE it. This liquid can be used to make beans (see recipe for CubanBlack Bean), etc. Drain and save the broth and let the pork cool.

Before serving, heat up a large skillet and sear the pork in small batches, using clarified butter and/or oil. Place on a warm platter and garnish with slices of slightly warmed onion (can warm/wilt the onion in the pork stock), cilantro and limes.

You can cook the pork shoulder in a more conventional way using an oven, but the results may not be as even as with a pressure cooker. For the oven method, add water to the bottom of a roasting pan with other ingredients and poach the shoulder at a low temperature, just until a thermometer says it’s safe to eat. Remember you’ll be sautéing the pork in the final preparation. Cut the pork into 2-inch cubes when it cools, before sautéing.

The recipe we tasted used a pressure cooker; the results were delicious, especially the Cuban Black Beans made with the pork broth – outstanding and the best we’ve ever tasted.