Pork Belly in Mole Negro

Name: Pork Belly in Mole Negro
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Latin
Ingredients: 1.5 pound pork belly (skin on, cut into 2-inch pieces); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 yellow onion (medium, roughly chopped, divided); 4 clove garlic (peeled, divided); 2 dried ancho chiles (stemmed and seeded); 1 dried mulato chile (stemmed and seeded); 1 dried pasilla chile (stemmed and seeded); 2 Roma tomatoes (halved); 0.25 cup untoasted sesame seeds; 2 tablespoon raw almonds; 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves; 0.25 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 ounce unsweetened dark chocolate (roughly chopped); 2 cup chicken broth; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 0.5 teaspoon black pepper; 1.5 cup white rice; 2 cup water; 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)

Tender pork belly slow-cooked in a traditional Oaxacan Mole Negro, a complex sauce boasting smoky, earthy, and mildly sweet notes, served alongside fluffy white rice.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 3 hr
Total: 3 hr 30 min
Servings: 4
Cuisine: Latin
Difficulty: Medium
Cost: $5.75/serving

Dietary

Dairy-Free
Egg-Free
High-Protein
High-Fiber

Ingredients

1.5 pound pork belly (skin on, cut into 2-inch pieces)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion (medium, roughly chopped, divided)
4 clove garlic (peeled, divided)
2 dried ancho chiles (stemmed and seeded)
1 dried mulato chile (stemmed and seeded)
1 dried pasilla chile (stemmed and seeded)
2 Roma tomatoes (halved)
0.25 cup untoasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoon raw almonds
0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
0.25 teaspoon dried oregano
1 ounce unsweetened dark chocolate (roughly chopped)
2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt
0.5 teaspoon black pepper
1.5 cup white rice
2 cup water
0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

Pat the pork belly pieces dry. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sear the pork belly on all sides until golden brown and crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Remove pork and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pot.
Add half of the chopped yellow onion and 2 cloves of garlic to the pot. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside with the pork.
While pork is searing, toast dried ancho chiles, mulato chile, and pasilla chile in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes per side until fragrant. Be careful not to burn. Transfer chiles to a bowl, cover with hot water, and let rehydrate for 20 minutes.
In the same dry skillet, toast the sesame seeds and almonds until fragrant and lightly golden, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside. In the same skillet, char the Roma tomatoes until skins are blistered, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
Drain the rehydrated chiles. In a blender, combine the drained chiles, remaining chopped yellow onion, remaining 2 cloves of garlic, charred Roma tomatoes, toasted sesame seeds, almonds, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, dried oregano, and unsweetened dark chocolate. Add 1 cup of chicken broth. Blend until very smooth, adding more chicken broth as needed to achieve a pourable consistency.
Return the Dutch oven to medium heat. Pour the mole sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into the pot, pressing the solids to extract all liquid. Discard solids. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer.
Add the seared pork belly back to the pot with the mole sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 2-3 hours, or until the pork belly is fork-tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
About 25 minutes before the pork belly is done, prepare the white rice. Rinse 1 1/2 cups white rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed rice with 2 cups water and a pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes, until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
Serve the Pork Belly in Mole Negro hot over the cooked white rice. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors of the mole tend to deepen overnight. If the mole is too thick, thin it with a little more chicken broth or water during reheating. This recipe calls for three types of dried chiles (ancho, mulato, pasilla) which are essential for authentic mole negro flavor; most larger grocery stores will carry them in the international aisle or dried spice section.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 780
Protein: 42.1 g
Carbohydrates: 55.4 g
Fat: 42.8 g
Fiber: 8.7 g
Sodium: 780 mg
Saturated Fat: 14.2 g
Sugar: 5.1 g
Cholesterol: 120 mg