Latin American Pork and Rice
By America's Test KitchenPublished on February 16, 2018
Yield
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Pork and Broth
6 cups water 1 ¾ pounds boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces1 onion, peeled and quartered through root end3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon saltRice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped1 onion, chopped2 garlic cloves, minced1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano ½ teaspoon pepper ¼ teaspoon salt 2 cups medium-grain rice, rinsed1 ½ teaspoons Goya Sazón with Coriander and Annatto ½ cup frozen peas, thawed½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon red wine vinegarBefore You Begin
Sazón is a Latin American spice blend. We developed this recipe using Goya Sazón with Coriander and Annatto (or con Culantro y Achiote). It can be found in the international aisle of most supermarkets; one packet equals about 1½ teaspoons. If you can’t find Sazón, use an equal amount of our homemade version. Let the rice rest for the full 20 minutes before lifting the lid to check it. Long-grain rice may be substituted for medium-grain, but the rice will be slightly less creamy.
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in Dutch oven and bring to boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to surface. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and cook until pork is tender, about 1 hour.
- Set colander in large bowl and drain pork, reserving cooking liquid (you should have at least 4 cups; if not, add enough water to equal 4 cups). Discard onion, garlic, and bay leaves. (Cooled pork and broth can be refrigerated in separate airtight containers for up to 2 days.)
- Wipe pot clean with paper towels. Add oil and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper, and salt and cook until vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in rice and Sazón and cook until edges of rice begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Add pork and 4 cups reserved broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, scrape sides of pot clean of any rice, cover, and cook, undisturbed, for 20 minutes.
- Keep pot covered and remove from heat; let stand for 20 minutes. Fluff rice with fork. Stir in peas, olives, cilantro, and vinegar. Serve.
for the pork and broth
for the rice
Yield
Serves 4-6Ingredients
Pork and Broth
Rice
Ingredients
Pork and Broth
Rice
Ingredients
Pork and Broth
Rice
Why This Recipe Works
For our version of arroz con puerco, a comforting dish enjoyed in Cuba and Puerto Rico, we chose pork shoulder because it lends deeper pork flavor than leaner tenderloin and is harder to overcook. Cutting the shoulder into chunks and braising it in water with a quartered onion, smashed garlic cloves, and bay leaves tenderized this tough cut and coaxed out all its tasty richness while simultaneously yielding a rich pork broth in which to cook the rice. After sautéing a sofrito of red bell pepper, onion, garlic, cumin and dried oregano in a Dutch oven, we added medium-grain rice (which turns creamy once cooked), Sazón, and then the pork and rich broth. Once the rice was done, we let the pot sit undisturbed and covered for an additional 20 minutes so the flavors could meld and the rice could absorb the extra moisture. Chopped green olives, peas, chopped fresh cilantro, and a little red wine vinegar stirred in at the end brightened up this satisfying dish.
Before You Begin
Sazón is a Latin American spice blend. We developed this recipe using Goya Sazón with Coriander and Annatto (or con Culantro y Achiote). It can be found in the international aisle of most supermarkets; one packet equals about 1½ teaspoons. If you can’t find Sazón, use an equal amount of our homemade version. Let the rice rest for the full 20 minutes before lifting the lid to check it. Long-grain rice may be substituted for medium-grain, but the rice will be slightly less creamy.
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in Dutch oven and bring to boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to surface. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and cook until pork is tender, about 1 hour.
- Set colander in large bowl and drain pork, reserving cooking liquid (you should have at least 4 cups; if not, add enough water to equal 4 cups). Discard onion, garlic, and bay leaves. (Cooled pork and broth can be refrigerated in separate airtight containers for up to 2 days.)
- Wipe pot clean with paper towels. Add oil and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper, and salt and cook until vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in rice and Sazón and cook until edges of rice begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Add pork and 4 cups reserved broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, scrape sides of pot clean of any rice, cover, and cook, undisturbed, for 20 minutes.
- Keep pot covered and remove from heat; let stand for 20 minutes. Fluff rice with fork. Stir in peas, olives, cilantro, and vinegar. Serve.
for the pork and broth
for the rice
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