Red Chile Pork Cutlets, Cervantes Style: Chuletas de Serdo en Chile Rojo, Estillo Cervantes Recipe

• Level: Easy
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings
• Nutritional Analysis Per Serving (1 of 6 servings): Calories 339, Total Fat 20 g, Saturated Fat 7 g, Carbohydrates 8 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugar 5 g, Protein 32 g, Cholesterol 95 mg, Sodium 2082 mg
• Total: 3 hr 8 min
• Prep: 1 hr
• Inactive: 2 hr
• Cook: 8 min

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork loin, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cutlets
• Red Chile Sauce Marinade, recipe follows
• 1 (16-ounce) jar of your favorite ready-to-serve chile sauce (recommended: Cervantes Red Chile Sauce)
• 6 sprigs cilantro

Red Chile Sauce Marinade

• 1 pound sun-ripened New Mexico red chile pods, dried
• 1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Arrange the pork cutlets in a single layer in a shallow dish. Pour 3/4 of the chile sauce marinade over the meat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before grilling. For a stronger chile flavor, marinate overnight.
2. Preheat the grill to high. Lower the heat to 375 degrees F and place the marinated pork cutlets on the grill. Reserve the marinade for basting during cooking. Grill each side for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cutlets. Baste the pork with the marinade on each side before flipping.
3. Remove the pork cutlets from the grill and set aside. Ladle about 2 ounces of the ready-to-serve Red Chile Sauce onto each plate. Place the pork in the center of the plate and drizzle more red chile sauce over the meat. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro and serve with your choice of calabacitas, papitas, pinto beans, or Spanish rice. Alternatively, slice the pork into strips after grilling and wrap in a warm flour tortilla for a burrito.

Red Chile Sauce Marinade Instructions

1. Remove the stems, seeds, and white veins from the New Mexico red chile pods. Rinse the pods and place them in a large bowl or saucepan. Add enough hot water to cover the pods and soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The pods should be bright red and plump when fully rehydrated. Remove the pods with tongs and transfer to a blender, including some of the soaking water. Leave about 1 inch of space in the blender. Add the oregano, garlic, and salt. Blend for 2 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add more water and blend until smooth.

Tip: Be sure to use rubber gloves when handling chile pods.

This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant, or culinary professional. It has not been tested for home use.

Recipe courtesy of Arian C. Gonzales, Cervantes Food Products, Inc., Albuquerque, NM