Colima-Style Shredded Braised Pork

The state of Colima on the western coast of Mexico is home to the pork dish called tatemado de Colima. Dried chilies, spices and aromatics, all blended to a smooth puree, are key flavorings, but a defining ingredient, other than the pork itself, is vinegar. In her version, recipe writer Paola Briseño-González uses a generous amount of smooth-tasting, subtly sweet coconut vinegar, a common ingredient in the coconut-producing region of Colima, and after slow-cooking the pork, she shreds the meat and mixes it with the braising liquid. The flavors are rich and porky but deliciously balanced by the tangy vinegar and fresh ginger, whose sharpness disappears into the mix. We adapted González’s recipe, and in doing so, found widely available rice vinegar to be a decent alternative to coconut vinegar. Traditionally, the pork is marinated, but we shortened this step to the time it takes the oven to heat (we braise in the oven, where the heat is steady and all-encompassing); we find that no taste is lost without a long marination, as the meat does a fine job of soaking up the seasonings after it is shredded. The meat is briefly broiled after braising to develop deep browning, so you will need a broiler-safe Dutch oven for this recipe. Serve the shredded pork with rice and beans, or make tacos with it, offering shredded cabbage, chopped onion and lime wedges alongside.