Salsa Verde Braised Pork

February 08 Sunset Magazine

3 ½ lbs. bone-in pork shoulder or tenderloin
1 bottle (15 oz.) salsa verde
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 t. each cumin seeds and coriander seeds
1 t. dried oregano
½ c. chopped fresh cilantro, plus some leaves
Salt

Trim excess pork fat. Put meat in a large casserole or Dutch oven with salsa, onion, broth, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is very tender when pierced, about 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375˚. With 2 wide spatulas, transfer meat to a rimmed baking pan. Bake until richly browned, 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, skim and discard fat from pan juices. Boil juices, stirring, until reduced to 2 ¾ c., 8-10 minutes.

With two forks, tear meat into large shreds. Add to pan with juices and stir in chopped cilantro. Season with salt. Spoon into a serving bowl and sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Serve with flour tortillas.

You can also prepare this in a slow-cooker. Put trimmed pork in a slow cooker (5-6 quart) and turn heat to high. In a pan, bring salsa, onion, broth, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and oregano to a boil. Pour over pork, cover, and cook until meat is very tender when pierced and registers at least 165˚ on an instant-read thermometer, at least 7 or up to 9 hours. Continue recipe with the 'oven' step, using a large pot for boiling down the juices.