There are many ways to get your meat stewed, some tastier than others. I don't usually like stuff made from pork, it creeps me out, except for maybe ham, and pepperoni, salami, prosciutto, pork chops, chorizo and.. gosh, who am I kidding, maybe pork just gets a bad wrap !
Chilorio is usually made out of good ol fashioned pork, however one can find Turkey Chilorio as well.
Our featured culinary starlet today comes from the state of Sinaloa in Mexico, the state best known for the lovely port of Mazatlan, Tomato farms and Narco-corridos (scratch that last thing from the record !). It came about as many other traditional dishes all over the world did, as a cooking method intended to extend the life of an otherwise perishable dish, sort of like sausages, or kimchi. Back when refrigerators didn't exist, the very spices and condiments used in Chilorio helped it stay fresh and tasty for a longer period of time.
Chilorio basically consists in meat that is stewed and afterwards fried with Chili (usually the chocolatey and full flavored chile pasilla) and spices like cumin, oregano and garlic. The end result is tasty tender beef that is perfect as the centerpiece of a dish or stuffing for a baguette or even as a condiment for refried beans.
We are unfortunately not going to discuss exactly HOW to make it as most of the time I buy Chilorio from La Chata, I know it's shameful of me to prefer a pre-manufactured product rather than one home by a matronly chef in a cute restaurant nearby. But the packaged one is rather tasty, much tastier than what I could cook up.
I usually like my Chilorio just like in the picture, with some avocado slices and some warm tortillas by the side, the simple pleasures are always the best !
