Pork Tinga with Red Potatoes, Avocado and Queso Fresco – SRC

I did have a question first, “What in the world is a tinga?”  Good question, isn’t it?  I imagine if I am going to make something I should have a good idea of exactly what it is.  Well, a tinga is quite simply a Mexican meat dish that originated in Puebla, Mexico.  It can be made with chicken or pork and sausage, in this case, chorizo, and slow cooked in a spicy red sauce.  It is stew-like and after being in the slow cooker for six hours, the meats breakdown and are easy to shred.  Traditionally, it is served as a taco filling.  

We elected to serve it in a shallow bowl with the tortillas on side allowing each person to use it as a taco filling or eat it as a stew.  Our medium-size potatoes didn’t lend themselves to the inside of a tortilla without being broken apart.  (And as I prepare this post, I notice that I was supposed to quarter the potatoes….that would have made the difference….read everything before doing anything comes to mind.)  So, there isn’t really a right or wrong way to eat this delicious dish: break down the meat and potatoes and fill up your tortilla with this delicious tinga or just dig in with a spoon!

Pork Tinga 

with Red Potatoes, Avocado and Queso Fresco

adapted from Rick Bayless 

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 pound lean, boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes

4 ounces chorizo sausage, removed from casing

4-5 medium red-skinned potatoes, quartered

1 large white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick, and slices quartered

1 garlic clove, minced

1 28-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes, in juice

2-3 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, finely chopped

3-4 tsp adobo sauce 

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp dried oregano, Mexican if available

Salt, to taste

1 avocado, pitted, flesh scooped out and diced

1/2 cup crumbled Queso Fresco

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro leaves

Warm tortillas, corn (We had flour tortillas on hand and they worked out fine.)

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. (If your slow cooker has an insert that can be used on the stovetop, use it instead of the skillet.)  Add the pork and chorizo in a single layer and cook, stirring until the meat has browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.  Turn off the heat and transfer the meat mixture to your slow cooker. (If you are using your insert, place it into the slow cooker.)

Add the quartered potatoes, onions, garlic, tomatoes with their liquid, chipotles, chipotle sauce, Worcestershire, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Stir the mixture thoroughly.  Cook the mixture on high for six hours.

After six hours, gently stir the tinga.  If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of water.  Taste and season with salt, if needed.  Scoop the mixture into a large bowl.  Sprinkle, with queso fresco, diced avocado and cilantro.  Serve with warm tortillas

Note:  Chipotle chiles and adobo sauce are spicy hot.  You may want to adjust the amounts to match your palate.  I usually start with the smaller amounts and increase as desired.

Thanks so Ashley, it looks as though I have another recipe to add to the rotation!