Pork Shank Yucatán Style Recipes

Steps:

• For the brine: Bring the water to a simmer in a large non-reactive pot. Turn off the heat and add salt, sugar, coriander, peppercorns, rosemary, bay leaf and garlic and bring to a simmer. Whisk until the salt and sugar is dissolved, and then let it cool in the fridge or an ice bath until the brine hits a temperature of 35 degrees F.
• Add the shanks to the cooled brine and weigh down with a plate to ensure that the shanks are completely submerged. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
• After brining, remove the shanks from the brining liquid to a baking sheet lined with a clean kitchen towel to dry off a bit. Discard the brining liquid.
• For the braise: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Heat a large Dutch oven or roasting pan over medium-high heat. Pour in enough oil so that it covers the bottom of the Dutch oven or roasting pan completely. Put some flour in a shallow dish. Add a heavy pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper to the flour and whisk to combine. Dredge the shanks in the flour, shaking off the excess, and add them to the pan. In order to get a nice even golden-brown sear, you don't want to overcrowd the pan. (Do this step in two batches if necessary.) Brown the shanks on all sides, a few minutes per side, then remove to a plate while you sear the rest.
• Add the celery, onions, carrots, garlic, rosemary and thyme with a large pinch of salt. Sweat the vegetables until tender, about 5 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and reduce by three-quarters. Add the apple cider and reduce by half. Add half the chicken stock and bring the braising liquid up to a simmer. Taste it for seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper if necessary. Place the shanks back into the pan; the liquid should go about halfway up the shanks. If it does not, add the rest of the liquid until it reaches the desired half. Put the pan in the oven and cook until the meat is tender, about 200 degrees F when checked with a meat thermometer, 4 to 5 hours.
• Remove the shanks from the oven and carefully transfer the shanks to another large pan. Then strain the braising liquid over the shanks. Cool them in the liquid overnight in the refrigerator.
• The next day, reheat the shanks in their liquid. Then remove them to a large serving platter. Spoon some of the braising liquid over the meat.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the annatto seeds, vinegar, olive oil, oregano, coriander, cumin, black pepper, chiles and garlic in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Rub the paste all over the pork shoulder. Lay one banana leave in the bottom of a deep hotel pan, then place the rubbed pork on top. Add the orange and lime juices, then add the salt. Lay the remaining banana leaf over top. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 5 to 6 hours.
• Remove the pork and allow to cool. Remove the fat and bone and shred the meat. Then serve while hot, it's ready to eat.

Steps:

• combine 1/2 of marinate in a large zip lock bag. add shanks. massage, flip and coat shanks well. refrigerate over night.
• preheat oven to 325 degrees. place shanks on a large oven roasted pan. pour reserved marinate over roast and tent with aluminum foil. bake for 4 hours. baste during the baking time...add a little water to pan jucies while basting. the last 30 minutes un-tent and allow skins to crisp up. shanks are done when juices run clear and meat is tender. allow to rest before slicing.

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the seasoning paste. Then, cut the tough outside layer of skin off the shank. Cover the pork all over with the seasoning paste. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. 2. Preheat oven to 350°. Put 1 sheet of foil large enough to completely wrap 1 pork shank onto a flat surface, and cut the banana leaf to about the same size. Put the banana leaf on top of the foil. Lay the pork shank in the center of the banana leaf. Top the meat with half of the tomatoes, half the epazote, and half the pepper slices. Sprinkle with half the vinegar and salt. Wrap the pork completely in the banana leaf. Then fold the foil around the outside to make a tight seal. 3. Put the package on a large baking sheet. Repeat with the other shank. Cook in the oven 2 hours or until the meat is very tender when pierced with a fork. Open one package to test tenderness and drain off excess fat. Serve the shanks while hot, on the plate with the cooked tomatoes and peppers.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Steps:

• Stir water, kosher salt, bay leaves, allspice, and black peppercorns in medium bowl until salt dissolves for brine. Arrange pork chops in 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Pour brine over. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour, turning occasionally.
• For charcoal grill:
• Remove top rack from barbecue. Place 1 aluminum pan in center of lower grill rack for drip pan. Light briquettes in chimney; carefully pour onto lower grill rack, forming piles on either side of drip pan. Drain wood chips; scatter wood chips evenly over coals. Return top grill rack to barbecue.
• For gas grill
• Remove top grill rack from barbecue. Prepare barbecue (medium heat). If using 2-burner grill, light 1 burner. If using 3-burner grill, do not light center burner. Drain wood chips. Stack 2 mini loaf pans (one inside the other); fill with 1 cup wood chips. Stack remaining loaf pans; fill with 1 cup wood chips. Place pans directly on flame (if using 3-burner grill, place both pans on 1 lit side). Place aluminum baking pan on unlit portion of grill. Return top grill rack to barbecue.
• Grill onion quarters until browned (skin may burn), about 3 minutes per side. Cool and peel. Thinly slice and place in bowl. Add orange juice and lime juice. Season onion mixture to taste with salt. Mix in chopped cilantro.
• Remove pork from brine; pat dry, then grill covered over drip pan until cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to plate; let rest 10 minutes.
• Arrange cabbage on platter. Top with pork, avocado, and radishes. Drain onion; scatter over pork and vegetables. Sprinkle chopped cilantro leaves over. Serve with warm corn tortillas.

Steps:

• Put pork in a large bowl and rub with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons juice.
• Toast peppercorns, cumin, and allspice together, then cool slightly. Transfer to grinder along with annatto seeds and grind to a powder. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt using side of a large heavy knife. Add to ground spices along with oregano and remaining 6 tablespoons juice and stir to make a paste.
• Toss pork with paste to coat well. Add onion and toss to combine.
• Holding both ends of a banana leaf, drag leaf over a burner on moderately high heat slowly until it changes color slightly and becomes shinier, then turn over and toast other side. Toast remaining banana leaves in same manner.
• Line roasting pan with leaves, shinier sides down, by arranging 1 leaf lengthwise and 2 leaves crosswise, letting excess hang over sides. Trim overhang to about 8 inches on all sides.
• Transfer pork mixture to banana leaves, then fold overhang of leaves over pork to enclose completely. Cover pan tightly with foil and chill, at least 6 hours.
• Put oven rack in middle position, then put pan with pork in oven and heat to 400°F (to take chill off pork gently).
• Once oven has reached 400°F, bake until pork is very tender, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours.
• Discard foil and open banana leaves, then serve pork with salsa and tortillas.