Pork Adobo Stew

From Josh Katt of Kitchfix

This is a fantastic recipe to make when having friends over. You can enjoy the stew simply on its own, or if you’d like, you can create a toppings bar for guests to fill their bowls with their favorite Mexican flavors. The stew itself is complex—chiles de arbol and annatto seeds contribute deep, rich flavors that are sure to impress.

Serves 4

Prep: 35 minutes

Slow Cook: 6 hours (low)

Total: 6 hours 35 minutes

For the Annatto Seed Oil

2 tablespoons annatto seeds

¼ cup coconut oil

For the Stew

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried oregano

8 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tablespoon Whole30-compliant tomato paste

2 quarts Whole30-compliant chicken broth or Chicken Bone Broth (page 294)

2 large Spanish or yellow onions, coarsely chopped

5 purple potatoes, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)

2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 medium stalks celery, coarsely chopped

¾ cup finely chopped poblano peppers

1 bay leaf

4 dried chiles de arbol

⅓ cup fresh lime juice

Toppings

2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and diced

1 small cabbage, cored and sliced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

Chopped fresh cilantro

1 lime, cut into wedges

Make the annatto seed oil: In a small saucepan, combine the annatto seeds and coconut oil. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, just until you hear a sizzle (the oil should be dark red). Use a fine-mesh sieve to strain the seeds from the oil; discard the seeds.

Make the stew: In an extra-large skillet, heat the annatto seed oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the salt. Cook until the pork is browned on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, oregano, garlic, and tomato paste and cook until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup of the broth. Stir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.

Transfer the pork and sauce to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the remaining broth, the onion, potatoes, carrots, celery, poblano peppers, bay leaf, chiles de arbol, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Discard the bay leaf and dried chiles. Stir in the lime juice and serve the stew with the toppings.

Josh Katt, Kitchfix

Josh Katt is the head chef and founder of Kitchfix, a Chicago meal delivery service and grocery company that focuses on locally sourced, high-quality ingredients and gluten-free, dairy-free options. While working as a personal chef for cancer survivors, Josh realized the incredible power of food as medicine. At Kitchfix, Josh aims to make this healthy, delicious food convenient and available to everyone by using whole, functional ingredients and leaving out unnecessary fillers.