Pork Belly Ahogada Style Recipe

The following is a recipe from The Tequila Diet: Exploring Mexican Food & Drink with the World’s Greatest Spirit by Chef Dave Martin. It will make 6 servings (portions).

FUN FACT:

Ahogada style is from Jalisco and primarily the Guadalajara region and it means a drowned sandwich
BOLILLO—Mexican version of French bread used for sandwiches and tortas

Pork Belly Ahogada Style Recipe

1–2 TBSP neutral oil
10 each dried chiles d’arbol, stems & seeds removed
1 cup sweet onion, small dice
2 TBSP roasted garlic
2 cups fire roasted tomatoes, canned
2 cups chicken stock, prepared (Better than Bouillon®)
1/4 cup fresh oregano
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Tequila
2 lbs. high quality pork belly, cut into 6-inch pieces
kosher salt & ground black pepper blend
bolillo style bread for dipping

INSTANT POT®:

Turn the SAUTE function on MORE on your IP and add some oil and get some caramelization on your onions and chiles. Then drop in your pork belly that has been dusted with your salt & pepper blend and then place the remaining ingredients over the top to cover the pork. Place the lid onto your IP and switch the function to Meat/Stew on HIGH pressure and cook for 45 minutes, no air release. When the cooking time finishes, leave the lid on for 15 more minutes and then you can release the air and remove the cooked pork belly and set aside. I then remove the liner of the IP with the braising liquid in it and give it a whir with my immersion blender until it’s a medium smooth consistency and season, if needed. This will be your sauce for the pork after you sear the pieces.

Take the braised pieces of pork belly and dust them with your salt & pepper blend and then sear them in your pan on all sides until crisp. Do this gently as the pork may be starting to fall apart so I use a fish spatula to help with the process. You can then serve the seared pork with the sauce as an entre?e or protein option at a family style meal.

Traditionally, this dish is served on bolillo/bread and with braised pork shoulder and then it’s all dunked into the sauce and eaten very carefully and you can do that same thing with the pork belly in this case.

STOVETOP/OVEN COOKING:

Heat your oven to 350°F.

Heat a large saute pan with oil over medium high heat and add the onion and chile peppers and cook until everything has some caramelization. Now, grab your Dutch oven or roasting pan and add the remaining ingredients along with the pork belly and caramelized onions & chiles and cover with lid or foil. Place in heated oven and cook for 2 1?2–3 hours and then check for doneness by seeing if the pork belly seems heavily rendered. If not, then try another 30 minutes until it looks leaner. Remove from oven and keep the cover on it and let it rest for another 15 minutes before you carefully extract the fragile pork belly pieces. Heat a large saute pan and then take the braised pieces of pork and dust them with your salt & pepper blend and then sear them in your pan on all sides until crisp. Do this gently as the pork may be starting to fall apart so I use a fish spatula to help with the process. You can follow the same service ideas as noted in the IP method.

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