If you are looking for an out of the ordinary dish to serve during the holidays, a dish that still calls for traditional ingredients and is full of flavor, and a dish that is cost effective to serve family-style, then look no further.  Achiote pork stew with cactus strips is a delicious and piquant comforting dish where a little goes a long way.  Cost effective, convenient, satisfying and most important, tasty in every way, you can’t go wrong with tender spicy pork meat.

Grab your paper napkins and don’t serve this on grandma’s vintage linens.  This simplified version of “mancha manteles” (tablecloth stainer) style stew, does exactly that. Have a creamy glass of horchata ready because the vibrant, smoky achiote base sauce has that delayed “kick” of heat after you’ve taken a mouthful.

Ready in under an hour when prepared with tender pork loin, your guests will think you spent 8 hours blending dozens of hard to find ingredients in this simple but complex in taste sauce.  They will never know.
Achiote Pork with Cactus Strips

With a tangy flavor balance of nopales (cactus stirps) and tamed down with a thick, rolled, corn tortilla after every bite, this delicacy is complete when enjoyed in large groups or in a celebration atmosphere.

For more tasty recipes, tips and ideas, visit porkteinspira.com.

 

Achiote Pork with Cactus Strips
Serves 4-6 

Ingredients
1 ½ tablespoon achiote paste
1 tablespoons orange juice (or water)
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1.5 pounds boneless center cut pork loin chops, cubed
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/3 cup yellow onion, chopped
3 cactus paddles, thorns removed, rinsed and julienned

Method
In a small bowl, combine orange juice (or water) and achiote paste. Dissolve, stirring with a spoon. Set aside.

Season pork with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add cubed pork, stir and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 30 minutes or until meat is tender.

Add onion and cactus, cook for two minutes. Add dissolved achiote and stir.

This is a sponsored post by The National Pork Board.  All opinions are 100% my own.