Morisqueta Michoacana

Slow-cooked pork with roasted tomatoes and guajillos

Roasting the tomatoes and onion at high heat concentrates their flavor by evaporating moisture and browning the surface. Blending them with softened guajillos, chiles de árbol, garlic, and broth creates a smooth chile base that holds its structure during a long simmer. Pork shoulder breaks down slowly over low heat, which gives you a tender guiso with steady heat, gentle acidity, and a deep red color.

I first had this combination of roasted tomatoes and guajillos at the antojitos mercado in Uruapan, Michoacán. The market is well known for its food and this dish stopped me in my tracks. Until that point, I hadn’t had a guiso built mostly from guajillos and roasted tomatoes, and I didn’t realize how well those two ingredients work together. It became one of my favorite guisos in Mexico. When I made it again a few weeks ago, I had leftovers and realized it would be excellent inside a tamal, which is why I’m sharing it here.

Serve morisqueta with rice, beans, queso fresco or cotija, and warm corn tortillas. It keeps well, reheats cleanly, and freezes without issue. You can also take whatever is left in your fridge and use it to fill tamales. It’s a practical way to stretch one batch of cooking into two different meals.