Red Chile Pork with Cornbread Dumplings

This crowd-pleasing riff on New Mexican carne adovada features tender chunks of pork shoulder braised in a bold red chile sauce made with guajillo, arbol, and chipotle chiles. A little orange or pineapple juice adds natural sweetness that helps balance the heat. Instead of serving the pork with tortillas, Justin tops the stew with fluffy cornbread dumplings that soak up the deep flavor of the sauce during the last thirty minutes of cooking. This recipe is written for the grill, but you can also make this in the oven.

Recipe courtesy of Justin Chapple 

Pork

8 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

2 árbol chiles, seeded

1 quart chicken stock

1 cup orange or pineapple juice

2 chipotle chiles in adobo

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1½-inch pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large onion, finely chopped

8 garlic cloves, sliced

1 jalapeño, stemmed and minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

1½ teaspoons smoked paprika

2 bay leaves

Dumplings

1 cup fine cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup buttermilk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg, beaten

Chopped cilantro, thinly sliced jalapeño, and lime wedges, for serving

Make the pork: In a Dutch oven, toast the guajillo and árbol chiles over medium-high, stirring, until just starting to blister in spots, about 2 minutes. Add the stock, juice, chipotles, vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let stand until the chiles are softened, about 10 minutes. Using a blender or food processor, carefully puree the mixture until smooth; transfer to a bowl.

Light a grill and preheat it to 325°F. Alternatively, preheat an oven to 325°F. Wipe out the Dutch oven and heat the canola oil in it over medium-high. Season the pork with salt and pepper. In batches, cook the pork, stirring once or twice, until browned in spots, 7-9 minutes; transfer to a plate.

Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño to the Dutch oven; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the chile broth, pork, and bay leaves; bring to a boil over medium-high. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer to the grill. Close the grill and braise for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the pork is tender; adjust the grill as needed to maintain the temperature.

Prepare the dumplings: In a bowl, whisk the cornmeal with the flour, baking powder, 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Stir in the buttermilk, butter, and egg until just combined. Uncover the Dutch oven and season the stew with salt and pepper; discard the bay leaves.

Using a 3-tablespoon scoop, scoop heaping mounds of the batter onto the stew. Return the uncovered Dutch oven to the grill, close the grill, and cook for 30 minutes, until the dumplings are plump and cooked through; let stand for 10 minutes. Serve with chopped cilantro, thinly sliced jalapeño, and lime wedges.