I’m typing this recipe up largely for my own benefit. 😉

I found it in an America’s Test Kitchen cookbook years ago, and it was a library copy, so all I have is a photo of the original recipe. And I really wanted to have it on my blog so I could access it anywhere.

My main issue with the original recipe is that it calls for cooking the pork for only 75-90 minutes, and man, every time I make this dish, I forget that it needs way longer than that.

My pork butt chunks are never, ever tender and falling apart after 90 minutes, so then I always end up serving dinner much later than I mean to.

So, I’m typing this up with a note to allow for more oven time, so that maybe next time I serve it, I will have dinner on the table in a timely manner. 

Anyway! This is a handy recipe to serve a dairy intolerant person, although I always top my serving with some chipotle sour cream. And you could certainly sprinkle some cheese on top too.

Plus, I like that it uses pork butt, which is often available at a good sale price, and chicken broth, which I always have in my freezer.

And all you have to do is add a veggie side to make a complete dinner.

To start out, brown some salted, peppered chunks of pork butt.

Remove the pork from the pot, add the chopped onions and cook until browned, and then add in garlic, chipotle peppers, oregano, and thyme.

Next up, stir in chicken broth and a can of tomato sauce.

(Here’s how I make my chicken broth.)

Add the pork chunks, cover the pot, and bake in a 300°F oven for 2.5-3 hours, or until the pork is tender.

All that’s left is to stir in the uncooked rice and bake for another 20-30 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.

Right before you serve this, stir in cilantro, scallions, and lime juice…and if you’re like me, you can serve some chipotle sour cream on the side (just stir blended chipotles into a small bowl of sour cream. Make it as spicy or mild as you like!)

And in case you haven’t seen this before, here’s how I store a can’s worth of chipotle chilies in my fridge (because who uses a whole can at once??)

Alrighty. I think that’s all I’ve got to say about this! I typed the ingredients below, and if you scroll down a bit further, you’ll find the printable recipe with instructions. 

(I’m sorry it shows up after the related posts; I think it’s weird how Mediavine has that set up.)

Spicy Pork Tinga and Rice

1 (2-pound) boneless pork butt roast, pulled apart at seams, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, chopped fine
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 – 2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
2 cups chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
½ cup minced fresh cilantro
3 scallions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon lime juice

Spicy Pork Tinga and Rice

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

A dairy-free pork and rice dish; add a veggie and dinner is served.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 (2-pound) boneless pork butt roast, pulled apart at seams, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 - 2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
• ½ cup minced fresh cilantro
• 3 scallions, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 300 F, and adjust rack low enough to accomodate a Dutch oven.
2. Using paper towels, pat pork chunks dry, and season with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil is good and hot, add half the pork chunks and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the pork to a plate, and repeat process with the other half of the pork, using a second tablespoon of oil. Remove second batch of browned pork to plate.
3. Add chopped onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pot and cook and stir until browned. Add garlic, chipotle, oregano, and thyme; stir and cook for about 30 seconds. Add broth and tomato sauce, stirring to loosen browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the browned pork (and any juices that accumulated in the plate), and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid, transfer to oven, and bake for 2.5-3 hours, or until pork is fork tender.
5. Remove pot from oven, turn oven temperature up to 350, skim any fat from the surface of the broth, then stir in rice. Cover pot, return to oven, and bake for another 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
6. Remove pot from oven, let sit covered for 5 minutes, then stir in cilantro, scallions, and lime juice.

Notes

Remember that the pot handles are gonna be burning hot from the oven! I've burnt myself several times because I forget the lid/pot handles are hot.

I like to serve this with chipotle sour cream; just mix blended chipotles into sour cream. Experiment to figure out how spicy you like it!