Recipe Archives->Mexican->Pork Loin

Pork Loin Vampiro

3 medium sized ancho chiles , stems, seeds and veins removed
2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup grenadine
1/2 cup tequila
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons thyme
1 cup sliced white onion
3 pound lean boneless pork loin
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons lard or olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast the chiles on a skillet over
medium heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side, but do not
allow them to scorch. Tear the chiles into pieces, place them in a
bowl, cover them with boiling water, and allow them to rehydrate
and soften for 15 minutes. Drain the chiles and place them in the
bowl of a blender. Add the orange juice and lime juice and blend
for 1 minute. Strain the mixture through the fine blade of a food
mill, then add the grenadine, tequila, salt, thyme and onion, and
reserve.

Salt and pepper the pork. In a Dutch oven or heavy baking dish,
heat the oil over medium high heat until it is very hot but not
quite smoking. Add the pork and sear it, turning as necessary, until
it is golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.  Remove the pork
to a plate and the pot from  the heat and allow it to cool, briefly.
Add the chile mixture, stirring well to incorporate any caramelized
pieces of pork and juices from the bottom  of the pot. Put the pork
back in the pot, fat side up, replace it on the burner and heat
until the sauce just begins to bubble lightly, but do not bring it
to a complete boil.

Place the pot in the preheated oven and bake, uncovered, until pork
reaches an internal temperature of between 145 and 150 degrees,(about
30 minutes per pound for a roast with two loins tied together, or
a total of about 1 hour for a single loin) spooning some of the
sauce over it every 15 minutes. Remove the pork from the pot, and
allow it to rest for 5 minutes, then slice it into servings.

While the meat is resting you can reduce the sauce if it is too
thin.  Spoon some sauce on each of 4 serving plates, and top with
a slice of pork. Mexican style white rice and sauteed nopalitos or
squash go well with this dish.

Printable version: pork-loin.txt.