Cuban-Style Arroz con Puerco
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless pork butt or pork shoulder, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes (leave some of the fat)
- 1/2 cup Mojo Marinade [3]
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon annatto powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips lengthwise
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips lengthwise
- 1 yellow onion, cut into 1/4 -inch strips lengthwise
- 1/2 cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives
- 1/2 cup nonpareil capers, drained
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
In a large bowl, marinate the pork with the mojo marinade for at least 4 hours or up to overnight in the fridge.
In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Pat the pork pieces dry. Working in batches so as to not crowd the pan, brown the pork on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
Add the chopped onion, chopped green pepper, and minced garlic to the drippings in the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock, sherry, tomato paste, annatto powder, bay leaf, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Return the pork to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the pork is very tender and easily pulls apart, stirring occasionally, 1 ½ to 2 hours. Taste the broth and add salt and pepper if necessary; the broth should be assertively well-seasoned.
Stir in the rice. Increase the heat to high until the liquid returns to a simmer, then stir well, cover, and return to low heat. Continue to cook, covered, for 20 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is tender.
While the rice is cooking, heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the red and green bell pepper strips until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the onion strips, olives, and capers and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until vegetables are crisp-tender and charred around the edges, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Set aside.
After the rice has cooked for 20 minutes, remove it from the heat and let it sit, undisturbed, for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve, with the sauteed peppers and onions on top and lime wedges for guests to squeeze over their rice to taste.
Recipe Details
- Dish Type: Entree [6]
- Cuisine: Cuban [7]
- Cooking Method: Combination [8]
- Occasion: Any [9]
- Effort Level: Moderate [10]
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