Estimated Nutrition

Per serving

Ingredients & Substitutes

Instructions

1. 1

   Rehydrate 3 dried ancho chiles and 2 dried guajillo chiles in hot water for 20 minutes; deseed them and set aside.

2. 2

   Toast 3 whole star anise pods in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant, then let them cool and grind finely into powder.

3. 3

   In a blender, combine the rehydrated chiles, 4 peeled garlic cloves, 0.5 medium chopped white onion, 0.25 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon, the finely ground star anise from the previous step, 1.5 teaspoons salt, and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper; blend until a smooth adobo paste forms.

4. 4

   Toss 2.5 pounds of pork shoulder cubes with the adobo paste in a large bowl, ensuring all meat is coated, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.

5. 5

   Preheat a tandoor oven to 500°F (260°C) or preheat a conventional oven to 500°F (260°C) with a heavy baking sheet or cast iron skillet inside for at least 30 minutes.

6. 6

   Arrange the marinated pork cubes in a single layer on skewers or directly on the hot baking sheet or skillet; cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until browned and cooked through, achieving a slightly charred exterior.

7. 7

   While the pork cooks, prepare the glaze by whisking together 0.5 cup fresh orange juice, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons agave nectar, and 0.25 teaspoon of ground star anise in a small saucepan over medium heat; reduce slightly until it coats the back of a spoon.

8. 8

   Brush the cooked pork with the star anise-orange glaze and serve immediately with warm corn tortillas.