Carne Adovada

Ingredients

• 2 lb pork shoulder
• 12 dried New Mexico chile pods
• 4 garlic cloves
• ½ onion
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp oregano
• ½ tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 3 cup water
• 8 flour tortillas (optional)
• ¼ cup cilantro (optional)

Steps

1. Cut pork shoulder into 1-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Remove stems and seeds from dried chile pods. Toast chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl, cover with 2 cups hot water, and let rehydrate for 20 minutes.
3. Drain chiles, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Blend rehydrated chiles with garlic, onion, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, and reserved soaking liquid until smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids to extract all liquid.
4. Combine pork cubes and chile sauce in a slow cooker. Stir to coat the pork evenly.
5. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the pork is very tender and easily shreds.
6. Serve hot with flour tortillas and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, if desired.