Pork Loin Stew (Espinazo)

Welcome back food family!

This is one of my favorite dishes hands down!!! 🙌🏽

It's similar to pozole (but not really) because>>> it doesn’t have hominy, the sauce is thickened with flour, tortilla or bolillo>> plus adding the tomatillos to the sauce gives this dish its own distinct and of course delicious flavor. 😋 It's also not spicy because it doesn't include chile de árbol. Try it!

Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

3 lbs Pork Rib Loin

2 Bay Leaves

1/4 pc Onion

1 lbs Nopales (Cactus), cooked, rinsed & sliced

1 cup Cilantro, roughly chopped

Chicken Bouillon Powder, to taste

1 to 2 tbs Frying Oil

Sauce Ingredients:

3 Tomatillos, boiled

6 Guajillo Peppers, deseeded & boiled

1 Ancho Pepper, deseeded & boiled

2 Garlic Cloves

1/4 pc Onion

2 tbs Flour

2 cups Meat Broth, cooled

Instructions:

1-Fill a deep pot with lukewarm water. Place the pork in the pot. Rinse the pork. Toss the water. Repeat these steps until the water is mostly clear.

2-Place the pork back in the deep pot. Pour enough water to cover the meat. Add the bay leaves and onion. Place the pot over medium heat. Cover the pot until it comes to a boil. Uncover the pot.

3-Boil the pork for about 45 minutes to an hour or until fully cooked. While the pork boils a foamy film will rise to the top. Use a spoon to remove it from the broth. Set the pork and broth aside once fully cooked.

4-In a small pot over medium heat add the tomatillos, guajillo and ancho peppers. Add enough water to cover them. Boil over medium heat until tender and the tomatillos have changed to a darker green.

5-Add all the sauce ingredients to a blender. Blend into a smooth sauce consistency. Set aside.

6-In a pot over medium heat add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil. Once hot pour the sauce in the pot. Use a strainer if necessary. Quickly and continuously toss with a spoon. Be careful as it does tend to splatter.

7-Add the pork to the sauce. Pour more meat broth as needed making sure it covers the meat.

8-Add the nopales (cactus) and cilantro to the stew. Softly mix with a spoon. Season with chicken bouillon to taste. Cover the pot. Lower the heat to medium low. Let it simmer until the stew starts to bubble. Approximately 30 minutes. Enjoy with a side of frijoles de la olla and tortillas!