Enchiladas de Cerdo Guajillo Recipe

This dish is far from authentic or traditional in content, flavor profile, and technique.  Originally created to appeal to the expat audience here in San Miguel de Allende (not very spicy), it has developed a following of both travelers and Mexican nationals alike.

The inspiration for this dish comes from many places: the pairing of pork chops and applesauce; the way that a good barbecue sauce accents slow smoked or roasted pork shoulder, and, most importantly, a genuine adoration of carnitas.

When creating the dish, several goals came to mind. First was the desire to have a full-flavored dish that would not overwhelm the somewhat delicate (by comparison) expat palate. We have several housemade hot sauces and salsas on hand at all times, and it is far easier to add heat than to try to mask it.

The second goal was to deliver the profound depth of flavor and beautiful contrasting textures associated with well-crafted carnitas yet alter the traditional preparation to be more health conscious. By using a three-stage cooking process (hard sear, braise, shallow fry), we have drastically reduced the fat content of this dish while not compromising any flavor. The pork process is relatively lengthy and, for a quick fix, you could substitute high-quality BBQ pulled pork.