Pueblana Tinga
Submitted by gparke14
Pueblan tinga, a smoky Mexican stew of shredded pork or chicken with charred tomatoes, chipotle in adobo, chorizo, and warm spices. Serve over rice or stuffed into bolillos.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
40 minREADY
70 minTinga is a Puebla classic, the kind of dish that turns leftover roast pork or chicken into something Mexican grandmothers built reputations on. Smoky chipotles in adobo deliver layered heat, fire-roasted tomatoes provide the base, and Mexican chorizo lends rendered fat and bold sausage flavor that ties everything together.
Broiling the tomatoes first is the key technique. Charring the skins under the broiler concentrates their flavor and adds a smoky char that you cannot get from raw or sauteed tomatoes. The skins come off easily once cooled, and what remains is intensely flavored tomato flesh perfect for blending with the garlic and chipotle.
A touch of brown sugar, cider vinegar, cinnamon stick, and ground clove sounds odd in a chile-based stew, but this is authentic Pueblan technique. The sweet-sour balance against the chipotle heat creates the unmistakable tinga flavor profile that distinguishes it from straight enchilada-style sauces.
Serve two ways: ladled over rice for a proper stew dinner, or stuffed into hollowed-out bolillos (Mexican rolls) for tortas. Crown with avocado slices, raw onion rings, and a mild white cheese like Jack or queso fresco.
Pro Tips
- Chipotles in adobo come in small cans, save unused chiles and sauce in a jar in the fridge for weeks
- Use already-cooked shredded pork or chicken, leftover rotisserie chicken or pulled pork work perfectly
- Drain off excess chorizo fat after frying, the sauce already has plenty of body without it
- Taste and adjust the chipotle heat by adding more or less adobo juice rather than more chiles
- Make ahead by a day, the flavors deepen and meld dramatically overnight
Variations
- Use ground turkey or beef in place of shredded pork for a different texture
- Swap chorizo for sliced cooked Mexican sausage like longaniza or bulk pork sausage with extra paprika
- Add a handful of cooked black beans to the simmer for a heartier vegetable-forward version
- Garnish with crumbled queso fresco, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime for the full Pueblan presentation
Ingredients
Directions
Serve this as a stew with steamed white or brown rice.
Accompany with avocado and onion slices.
Tinga is also good served in warmed, scooped out French rolls or bolillos (Mexican rolls).
You can add avocado slices, onion and a mild white cheese such as Jack to the sandwich.
With a glass of icy beer and a salad, you have everything you need.
Put tomatoes on a jelly-roll pan and place about 8 inch inches under a preheated broiler.
Broil until tomato skins turn brownish, about 10 minutes.
Peel, cut in half horizontally and squeeze out seeds.
Place tomatoes in a food processor along with garlic and chipotle chiles.
Chop into a coarse puree.
Heat olive oil in a skillet.
Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
Remove and set aside. Using the same skillet, fry the chorizo until well cooked.
If the sausage is fatty, drain on paper towels and wipe out skillet.
Return the sausage and onion to skillet and add the tomato-chipotle mixture along with vinegar, sugar, salt, adobo juice and spices.
Simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the shredded pork or chicken, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes to blend flavors.
If the mixture seems dry, add ½ cup broth or water.
To Serve: Serve as a spicy stew with steamed rice.
Or use as a filling for Mexican bolillos: Cut rolls in half and pull out some of the soft crumbs.
Pile onion rings and avocado slices into the halves, then spoon on the tinga.
Note: Chipotles are sold in 8-ounce cans labeled inchchipotles adobados.
inch They are found in Mexican grocery stores and in the ethnic sections of some supermarkets.
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