Lomitos de Valladolid
(loh-MEE-tohs deh bah-yah-doh-LEED)
Monday Night Comforts: Slow-Simmered Yucatecan Stews
There is no achiote here, no underground oven. Just pork, tomatoes, and time. In Valladolid, grandmothers reduce this stew until the tomatoes surrender their water completely, forming a rich, brick-red paste that clings to the meat. Because American supermarket pork loin is tragically lean, we swap it for shoulder, which melts perfectly into the rendered lard. It is a humble, slow-simmered masterpiece of Yucatecan minimalism that tastes exactly like home.
Before you start
Blend half the tomatoes.
Place half of the Roma tomatoes in a blender with the stemmed and seeded chiles de árbol and blend until completely smooth.
Chop the remaining tomatoes.
Finely chop the other half of the tomatoes, making sure to retain all their juices and seeds to build the texture of the stew.
Ingredients
- boneless pork shoulder2 lb
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- pork lard3 tbsp
- white onion1 med
- garlic4 clove
- dried chiles de árbol3 med
- Roma tomatoes2 1/2 lb
- dried Mexican oregano1/2 tsp
- fresh epazote1 sprig
- eggs4 large
- refried black beans1 cup
- corn tortillas8 med
- pickled red onions1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Sear the pork in batches.
Heat the lard in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sear the pork in a single, uncrowded layer for 8 to 10 minutes until richly browned on all sides.
- 02
Sweat the aromatics.
Lower the heat to medium, push the pork to the edges of the pot, and sauté the chopped onion in the center for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent, followed by the garlic for 1 minute more.
- 03
Build the stew.
Pour the blended tomato puree and the chopped tomatoes into the pot along with their juices, then stir in the oregano and epazote while scraping the bottom to release any browned bits.
- 04
Reduce to a paste.
Bring the pot to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 60 to 75 minutes. The dish is finished only when the liquid evaporates entirely, leaving the fat slightly separated and transforming the sauce into a thick, brick-red paste that tightly coats the spoon-tender meat.
- 05
Garnish and serve.
Remove the epazote sprig, taste for salt, and serve the rich pork spooned over warm tortillas or tostadas smeared with refried black beans, topped with the chopped hard-boiled egg and pickled red onions.
Notes
Source the right fat.
Fresh rendered lard from a Mexican carnicería makes all the difference here. If you must use vegetable oil, add a spoonful of bacon grease to replicate that foundational depth.
Utilize your slow cooker.
To make this on a busy weeknight, sear the pork and aromatics on the stove, then transfer everything to a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours. If the resulting sauce is too thin, boil it down in a skillet before serving.
Swap tomatoes if necessary.
If fresh Roma tomatoes are pale and watery during Midwestern winters, substituting a 28-ounce can of high-quality fire-roasted crushed tomatoes is a perfectly acceptable and often superior choice.