Pork with Mole Negro Sauce

Making a mole sauce is a bit time consuming and some ingredients are difficult to find. I knew it would be a fun challenge so I decided to give it a shot. The mole turned out well and I liked the nutty, spicy chocolate flavor of the sauce. The pork was excellent with those flavors. A lot of mole recipes are super complex and involved so I’ll try to make this one a little easier to follow.

Pork with Mole Negro Sauce
(Makes 3 Servings)
Printable Version

Pork Marinade Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp. ancho chile powder
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 3 cloves garlic
• salt and pepper to taste
• cilantro, for garnish (optional)
• soft tacos (optional)

Directions:

1. Marinate the pork over night in the refrigerator.

Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 ounces dried guajillo chilies (tops and seeds removed)
• 1 tomatillo, quartered
• 1 slice white bread, toasted and crumbled
• 1 Pasilla Pepper, halved with tops and seeds removed
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tsp ancho chile powder
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 2 tablespoons dry-roasted peanuts
• 2 tablespoons cashews
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup ripe banana
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 3 oz. tablet Mexican chocolate, chopped

Directions:

1. Cover the quajillos with boiling water and let soak for 10 minutes.
2. Soak the raisins in warm water until softened.
3. In a 500F oven, roast the pasilla pepper and tomatillos until they are soft and blackened.
4. Toast the nuts in the oven.
5. Grind the nuts in a grinder.
6. Puree the chilies, pasilla, and tomatillos in a blender with some chicken stock.
7. Puree the raisins and banana in a blender with some chicken stock.
8. Heat the oil in a pan.
9. Add onion and saute until tender.
10. Add the tomatoes, oregano, sesame seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon, ancho powder, leftover chicken stock, crumbled bread, chilies, fruit, nuts and chocolate.
11. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
12. Remove from heat and puree in a blender. Bring the sauce back to a boil for another 10 minutes.
13. Spoon some of the mole onto the pork. In a preheated 400F oven, cook the marinated pork for 45 minutes, or until the inside has reached 150F.