Guerrero Style “Stuffing” – Relleno

Although this preparation is called relleno (literally, stuffing), and is traditional during the Christmas season in the Mexican state of Guerrero, this exceptional pork dish stands on its own as a main dish any time of the year (photo at the top of this post).  Guerrerense locals would assert that they often enjoy it on Sundays, after church, or while watching a sports game, popularly stuffed in a crusty bun (hence the name), topped with a piece of crispy skin from the pork, and pickled jalapeños.

Guerrero Style “Stuffing” – Relleno

Printable recipe:  Guerrero Style Stuffing – Relleno

Ingredients

2 lb (1 kg) pork shoulder with skin
1 lb (454 g) about 3 medium potatoes
1 tomato
3 carrots
1 plantain
½ cup raisins
½ cup green olives
1 can pineapple packed in juice; save juice, and cut pineapple into chunks
3 guajillo peppers; washed, stems and seeds removed
1 white onion; peeled, ends removed, and halved
3 cloves garlic; peeled
½ tsp dry thyme
½ tsp dry Mexican oregano OR marjoram
3 bay leaves
½ tsp cumin
3 cloves
¾ cup pineapple vinegar, OR ½ cup apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup juice from the pineapple
3 tbsp lard OR oil
¼ tsp black pepper, plus more, to taste
1 tsp salt, plus more, to taste
To serve: crusty buns, pickled jalapeño peppers 

Prepare ingredients for the marinade, clockwise from bottom left: Half a cup of the vinegar (or vinegar and juice mix), Mexican oregano (or marjoram), thyme, cloves, black pepper, ground cumin, salt, garlic cloves, and one half of the white onion:

Warm up a dry frying pan over medium heat; add guajillo peppers, turning frequently to roast evenly (photo below, left).  Transfer to a bowl, and pour boiling water over, to cover (photo below, right):

Allow to soak.

In the same pan, lightly roast oregano (or marjoram), thyme, cloves, cumin, and one garlic clove (photo below, left).  Transfer to a bowl or mortar, and pound with the back of a spoon, or a pestle, to break up into small pieces (photo below, right):

Reserve.

Cut up the half onion into chunks, and place in a blender jar.  Add the half cup of vinegar (or mix), the other two garlic cloves, salt, and pepper; add soaked peppers, and reserved seasonings (photo below, left).  Process for one minute, then add half a cup of the soaking water from the peppers, and process again for a few seconds, until smooth (photo below, right):

Reserve.

Prepare meat for marinade: Remove skin from the pork shoulder, remove any bristles that might be still attached, and cut into two or three rectangles; cut meat into chunks, and if there is bone, it may be kept with the rest of the meat.  Arrange in a non-reactive container (preferably with lid):

Pour reserved marinade over; using tongs and a kitchen brush, or gloved hands, rub meat and skin with marinade, turning and mixing, to coat (photo below, left).  Cover container tightly with foil, or lid (photo below, right):

Place in the fridge for at least four hours, or overnight.

When ready to cook, prep veggies for sautéing:  Peel plantain, and slice into coins.  Chop the other half of the onion.  Wash tomato, potatoes, and carrots.  Remove stem spot from tomato, and chop; peel and cube potatoes; remove ends, and peel carrots, cut lengthwise into quarters, then slice. 

Warm up one tablespoon of lard (or oil) in a large pan over medium heat; add plantain, and fry, flipping, to brown all sides (photo below, left).   Remove into a bowl, and reserve (photo below, right):

In the same pan, warm up two tablespoons of lard (or oil); add chopped onions, and sauté, until translucent, then add chopped tomatoes (photo below, left).   Continue cooking, and stirring until tomatoes are soft, then incorporate cubed potatoes (photo below, right):

Cook and stir for a couple of minutes, then add sliced carrots, and continue stirring (photo below, left).  Add raisins, then pineapple chunks (photo below, right):

Stir, then incorporate reserved fried plantain (photo below, left).  Season with salt and pepper, to taste, then tuck in bay leaves (photo below, right):

Optional:  Add olives; otherwise, reserve olives, to serve on the side.

Allow to cook for two more minutes, then remove from heat.  

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

Assemble for baking:  Traditionally, relleno guerrerense is arranged in a clay pot, but a ceramic baking dish, or a large oven-proof glass tray are also adequate.  Transfer half of the sautéed mix, spreading as a layer (photo below, left).  Arrange meat (and bone, if using) on top, in a single layer (photo below, right):

Spread the rest of the sautéed mix, to cover meat (photo below, left).  Top with skin rectangles (photo below, right):

Pour a quarter cup of vinegar (or vinegar and juice mix) into the container with the leftover marinade (photo below, left). Scrape and mix with a spatula, then pour into the baking dish (photo below, right):

Cover dish with parchment paper, tucking tightly in, around the edges, to keep moisture contained (photo below, left). 

Bake in the middle of the oven for two hours.  In the photo, right, covered baking dish after baking:

Take dish out of the oven, and uncover (photo below, left); the meat should be fully cooked, and fork-tender (photo below, right):

Change oven setting to broil, then return uncovered dish for a few minutes, and allow skin to crisp further. 

To serve:  Arrange some veggies on a plate, then top with shredded meat, and a piece of crispy skin; drizzle some of the juices from the dish on top.  Offer crusty buns, pickled jalapeños, and olives (if reserved), on the side:

Tradition calls to pull open the top of a crusty bun with one’s hands, moist the inside with juices from the relleno, then scoop a very generous portion of it, to completely stuff the bun:

Finally, top with pickled jalapeños, and crown with a piece of crispy skin:

There is really nothing else to say but “¡mmmh, buen provecho!” 

I dedicate this post to my dear friend Krysia, who grew up in the state of Guerrero; I first heard about Relleno  from her, during one of our many lively conversations.

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I am bringing my recipe to Full Plate Thursday #673 with Miz Helen @ Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

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I am also sharing my post at Thursday Favourite Things #639, with Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, Pam @ An Artful Mom, Katherine @ Katherine’s Corner, Amber @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home, and Linda @ Crafts a la Mode.

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I am joining Fiesta Friday #516  with Angie @ Fiesta Friday.

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I am sharing my recipe at What’s for Dinner? Sunday Link-Up #453 with Helen @ The Lazy Gastronome.