Pork Menudo

Method8 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Squeeze the juice from the half lemon into a bowl. Combine it with all the soy sauce (½ cup) and pork-shoulder (2 lb) cubes. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

   Minimum refrigerated pork marinade · 60 minUses 2 lb raw pork shoulder, cut into bite-size cubes · ½ cup soy sauce for the marinade · ½ lemon, using its juice for the marinade

2. 2

   Step 2: Before heating the pan, wash, peel and dice enough potato to measure 1 cup, and wash, peel and cube the carrot (1). Peel and chop the onion (1) and mince all three garlic cloves. On a separate clean board, cube the liver and slice all four hotdogs diagonally; keep the raw liver chilled until needed. Hold the prepared vegetables separately. Heat all 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan.

   Uses ¼ lb raw pork liver, cubed to match the pork · 1 cup peeled, diced potatoes · 1 carrot, peeled and cubed · 1 onion, peeled and chopped · 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced · 4 hotdogs, sliced diagonally · 2 tbsp cooking oil · Water for washing potatoes and carrot, as needed

3. 3

   Step 3: Sauté all the prepared garlic and onion in the heated oil until the onion is soft and translucent.

   Uses All heated oil in the pan, with prepared vegetables and liver held separately · All chopped onion and all three minced garlic cloves

4. 4

   Step 4: Lift the pork from its marinade with clean tongs, retaining the remaining marinade in the refrigerated bowl. Add the pork to the aromatic pan and cook for 5–7 minutes, turning it until lightly browned and checking from 5 minutes.

   Check pork browning from 5 minutes · 5 minUses All sautéed aromatics and cooking oil · All pork cubes lifted from the marinade, with remaining marinade held separately

5. 5

   Step 5: Pour all the tomato sauce (¾ cup), the measured cup of water (1 cup) and the remaining marinade into the pork pan. Add 2–3 dried bay leaves. Bring the whole mixture to a rapid boil before tasting, then lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, for 30–60 minutes until the pork is tender. Check from 30 minutes and add a little extra water only if needed to prevent drying out.

   Check pork tenderness from 30 minutes · 30 minUses All browned pork, aromatics and cooking oil · All remaining soy-lemon marinade retained from step 1 · ¾ cup tomato sauce · 1 cup water for braising · 2–3 dried bay leaves · Additional water only as needed while tenderizing the pork

6. 6

   Step 6: Add all the held liver cubes and sliced hotdogs to the tender pork sauce. Simmer for about 5 minutes, checking that the liver is fully cooked and reaches at least 71°C / 160°F in its centre; continue if needed. With a clean slotted spoon, lift the cooked liver and hotdogs onto a covered plate and keep them hot briefly while the vegetables cook. Leave the pork and sauce in the pan.

   Cook liver and hotdogs through · 5 minUses The complete tender pork and sauce · All quarter-pound liver cubes and four sliced hotdogs held from step 2

7. 7

   Step 7: Add all the held potato and carrot cubes and the measured sugar (1 tsp) to the retained pork sauce. Season with salt (to taste) and ground black pepper to taste. Stir and simmer for 8–12 minutes, checking from 8 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still hold their shape.

   Check vegetables from 8 minutes · 8 minUses The pork and sauce remaining in the pan, with cooked liver and hotdogs held hot separately · The full cup of diced potato and the cubed carrot held from step 2 · 1 tsp sugar · Salt to taste · Ground black pepper to taste

8. 8

   Step 8: Return all the hot-held cooked liver and hotdogs to the vegetable-pork pan and gently heat through. Remove and discard the whole bay leaves. Transfer to a serving dish and share between six portions, with ready steamed white rice if wanted.

   Uses All the cooked pork, vegetables and sauce · All cooked liver and hotdog pieces held hot from step 6 · Ready steamed white rice to serve, as desired