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Pork neck enchiladas

Pork neck enchiladas

These are enchiladas reimagined. Tender, slow-cooked pork neck, shredded and soaked in its own spiced, citrusy liquor, gets rolled into soft tortillas. They’re smothered in a rich ancho chilli sauce and baked under a blanket of melted cheddar and feta. Topped with cool avocado and sharp jalapeños, it’s a riot of texture and deep, comforting flavour.

Prep: less than 30 mins
Cook: 3 hours
Serves: Serves 4–6
Dietary: Egg-free, Nut-free, Pregnancy-friendly
Saturday Kitchen Chef photoBy Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes
Original recipe from BBC Saturday Kitchen Live.

Nutri-Score D This is a hearty, celebratory dish. Per serving (based on 6): approximately 780 kcal, 42g fat, 18g saturated fat, 55g carbohydrates, 12g sugars, 8g fibre, 48g protein. The score reflects the saturated fat from the cheese and pork, balanced by high protein and fibre from the vegetables and legumes.

Equipment

Ingredients

For the slow-cooked pork

  • 1kg pork neck (shoulder), chopped into large chunks
  • 2 onions, blackened in a dry pan
  • 3 celery sticks, chopped
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 heads garlic, cut in half
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 3 dried ancho chillies
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp coriander roots, washed and chopped (or stems)
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 oranges, blackened and juice only
  • 2 limes, blackened and juice only

For the ancho chilli sauce

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 tbsp ancho chilli paste (see note in Customise)
  • 250ml chicken stock
  • 400g tin cherry tomatoes

Customise

  • No pork neck? Use pork shoulder or chicken thighs.
  • To make ancho chilli paste: soak 2-3 dried ancho chillies in hot water for 20 mins, then blend with a splash of the soaking liquid.
  • Swap flour tortillas for corn tortillas for a gluten-free option.

To assemble & serve

  • 12 small flour tortillas
  • 250g cheddar, grated
  • 250g feta, crumbled
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • 100g soured cream
  • 4 tbsp pickled jalapeños
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Method

Slow-Cook the Pork (About 3 hours, mostly hands-off)

  1. Blacken the citrus and onion. Heat a dry frying pan over high heat. Add the whole onions, oranges and limes. Char them, turning occasionally, until the skins are blackened in patches. This adds a smoky depth. Once cool, halve the onions and citrus, and squeeze the juice from the oranges and limes.
  2. Braise the pork. Place the pork chunks, blackened onion halves, chopped celery, cumin, garlic heads, smoked paprika, dried ancho chillies, black pepper, coriander roots, oregano, bay leaves and salt into a large casserole. Pour over the blackened citrus juice. Add enough cold water to come halfway up the ingredients. Cover with a lid.
  3. Simmer until tender. Bring to a very gentle simmer over a low heat and cook for 2 to 3 hours. Check occasionally, adding a splash more water if needed. The pork is ready when it falls apart easily with a fork.
  4. Reduce the liquor. Remove the pork chunks to a bowl and set aside. Turn up the heat under the casserole and boil the cooking liquid rapidly until it reduces to about 200ml – it will become a flavour-packed, syrupy liquor. While it reduces, use two forks to shred the pork.
  5. Combine. Return the shredded pork to the reduced liquor, stir to coat, and keep warm.

Make the Ancho Sauce (About 30 minutes)

  1. Build the sauce base. While the pork cooks, heat the olive oil in a separate large saucepan. Fry the chopped onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add the crushed garlic, ground coriander, cumin and oregano, and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  2. Add depth and tomatoes. Stir in the tomato purée and ancho chilli paste, cooking for 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and let it bubble until reduced by half. Add the tinned cherry tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

Assemble & Bake (About 40 minutes)

  1. Prepare to bake. Preheat your oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Lightly toast the tortillas, one at a time, in a dry frying pan for about 30 seconds per side until soft and pliable.
  2. Fill and roll. Spread a little of the ancho sauce in the bottom of your roasting dish. Take a toasted tortilla, dip both sides briefly in the sauce, then lay it flat. Spoon a generous amount of the shredded pork and a sprinkle of grated cheddar down the centre. Roll it up tightly and place it seam-side down in the dish. Repeat with all the tortillas, packing them snugly side by side.
  3. Top and bake. Spoon the remaining ancho sauce over the rolled enchiladas. Drizzle over any remaining pork cooking liquor. Scatter the rest of the grated cheddar and all the crumbled feta over the top. Bake for 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbling and golden in spots.
  4. Garnish and serve. Let the enchiladas sit for 5 minutes after baking. Scatter over the chopped red onion, avocado, pickled jalapeños and fresh coriander. Add dollops of soured cream. Serve straight from the dish.

What can you serve with this

  1. Mexican red rice. Tomatoey, aromatic rice is the traditional and perfect side to soak up the extra sauce.
  2. Pickled red cabbage. Its sharp vinegar tang cuts through the richness and adds a vibrant colour.

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