Poc Chuc
(poke chook)
Lunes de Frijol con Puerco: Weeknight Pots & Weekly Rhythms
Pull the meat from its sour orange marinade and slap the cutlets into a cast-iron skillet; the pork hisses as the weeknight bags drop by the door. This dinner takes twenty minutes, relying entirely on pickled red onions, charred tomatoes, and habanero salsa to translate the real rhythm of the peninsula to a Tuesday night in the American suburbs: pork pounded thin, hit with the bracing acidity of sour orange, and scorched in a screaming hot pan. Get the pan smoking hot, and do not crowd the meat.
Ingredients
- fresh orange juice1/4 cup
- fresh lime juice1/4 cup
- fresh grapefruit juice1/4 cup
- white vinegar1 tbsp
- boneless pork loin1 1/2 lb
- garlic4 clove
- garlic1 clove
- dried Mexican oregano1 tsp
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- Roma tomatoes4 med
- white onion1/4 med
- white onion1 thick slice
- habanero peppers2 small
- fresh cilantro1/2 cup
- red onion1 large
- canned black beans30 oz
- pork lard2 tbsp
- corn tortillas12 med
- avocado1 med
- radishes4 med
Method
- 01
Mix the master citrus substitute.
In a jar, shake together the orange juice, lime juice, grapefruit juice, and white vinegar. This specific ratio precisely replicates the complex, bitter acidity of the elusive Yucatecan sour orange.
- 02
Marinate the flattened pork.
In a large bowl, combine half a cup of the citrus mixture with the minced garlic, Mexican oregano, salt, and pepper. Massage it into the thinly pounded pork and let sit at room temperature for exactly 30 minutes. Do not leave it overnight; the high acid content will cook the meat and turn it to mush.
- 03
Dry-roast the vegetables for the salsa and onions.
Heat a large, dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the whole tomatoes, red onion quarters, white onion quarter, unpeeled garlic, and whole habaneros. Let them blister and deeply blacken for 15 to 20 minutes, removing the garlic and habaneros early once softened. This aggressive char is where the authentic flavor lives.
- 04
Dress the charred red onions.
Chop the blackened red onion quarters into bite-sized pieces. Toss them in a small bowl with the remaining citrus mixture, half of the chopped cilantro, and a heavy pinch of salt to quickly pickle.
- 05
Blend the chiltomate.
Peel the charred garlic and pulse it in a food processor with the roasted tomatoes, roasted white onion, and a pinch of salt until chunky. Stir in the remaining cilantro. For the floral aroma of the habanero without blowing out your palate, leave it whole and gently press it into the salsa with a spoon; if you want the heat, remove the stem and blend half of it in.
- 06
Purée and fry the black beans.
Blend the undrained black beans on high until completely silky and smooth. Heat the lard in a saucepan over medium heat, fry the thick slice of white onion until deeply browned, then carefully pour in the bean purée. Simmer until it thickens into a rich velvet, about 10 minutes.
- 07
Char the pork in a screaming hot pan.
Wipe out the cast-iron skillet, add a wisp of oil, and return to high heat until smoking. Wipe excess marinade off the pork so it sears instead of steams. Cook the thin slices in a single layer for barely one to two minutes per side until charred on the edges, then serve immediately with the beans, salsa, onions, and warm tortillas.