Marinated Pork

Pork soaked overnight in a bold red chili sauce with crushed garlic and whole oregano, then slow-cooked until the meat practically falls off the bone. This is stripped-down Southwestern cooking where the marinade does all the flavoring and time does the tenderizing.

The long overnight soak is where the magic happens. Six to eight hours minimum lets the chili sauce penetrate deep into the meat, not just stain the surface. Salt the pork first so the seasoning has something to cling to, then pour the garlic-oregano chili over the top and turn to coat.

Cook low and slow, either on the stovetop over a gentle simmer or in the oven. The chili sauce reduces as it cooks and concentrates into a thick, glossy coating. Adding thick potato slices to the marinade along with the meat is a smart one-pot move; they absorb all that spiced chili flavor as everything cooks together.

Kitchen Tips

• Use any pork cut: ribs, chops, shoulder, or country-style ribs all work. Fattier cuts get even more tender during the slow cook.
• Crush the garlic cloves rather than mincing. Crushed garlic releases flavor more slowly into the marinade.
• Flip the meat once or twice while marinating so both sides get equal contact with the sauce.
• The pork is done when it pulls easily from the bone or shreds with a fork.

Variations

• Use green chili sauce instead of red for a tangier, milder marinade.
• Add cumin to the marinade for a deeper, earthier Southwestern flavor.
• Shred the finished pork and serve in tortillas with pickled onions for tacos.