Biscuits and Carnitas

Introducing a bold fusion of flavors! This recipe marries the comforting warmth of buttermilk biscuits with the zesty kick of Mexican cuisine. Get ready to savor tender buttermilk biscuits topped with a creamy roasted poblano sauce, slow-cooked carnitas, melted Bongards® Cheddar Monterey Jack Feather Shred, and a fresh cilantro finish.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 buttermilk biscuit (see secondary recipe)
  • 4 oz. roasted poblano cream sauce (see secondary recipe)
  • 2 oz. slow roasted carnitas (see secondary recipe)
  • 2 oz. Bongards® Cheddar Monterey Jack Feather Shred
  • 1 Tbsp. cilantro, minced

PREPARATION

  1. Day prior, prepare secondary recipes for buttermilk biscuits, roasted poblano cream sauce, and slow roasted carnitas, and store overnight at room temperature.
  2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  3. Arrange room temperature biscuits in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Make sure biscuits are touching.
  4. Bake 18-20 minutes.
  5. In an individual cast iron skillet or baking dish, place a biscuit in the middle and pour over poblano cream sauce.
  6. Break up carnitas and sprinkle over the biscuit and cream sauce.
  7. Sprinkle cheese over top and place under broiler for 3-4 minutes, rotating halfway through until everything is golden and bubbly.
  8. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Secondary Recipes

Buttermilk Biscuits

INGREDIENTS
  • 22 oz. all-purpose flour, plus more for hands and work surface
  • 4 Tbsp. aluminum-free baking powder
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, grated and stored in freezer
  • 2 C. cold buttermilk + 1 Tbsp. for egg wash
  • 1 egg
PREPARATION
  1. Place flour, baking powder, and salt in large bowl; whisk together.
  2. Add grated butter; toss to coat with flour.
  3. Make well in center of mixture; pour in buttermilk, mix with large spoon or spatula until dough comes together, ensuring not to overwork the dough. Dough will be shaggy and crumbly with some wet spots.
  4. Pour all dough onto floured work surface, gently bringing together with generously floured hands. Dough will become sticky as you bring it together. Have extra flour nearby to use often to flour your hands and work surface during this process.
  5. Using floured hands, flatten into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle.
  6. Fold one side into the center, then the other side on top.
  7. Turn the dough horizontally, gently flatten into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle again.
  8. Repeat folding steps again.
  9. Turn the dough horizontally one more time, gently flatten into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle.
  10. Repeat folding steps one last time.
  11. Flatten into the final 3/4-inch thick rectangle.
  12. Cut into 2-1/2 or 3-inch circles with biscuit cutter (do not twist the biscuit cutter when pressing down into the dough, as doing so seals the edges of the biscuit which prevents them from fully rising).
  13. Re-roll dough scraps until all dough is used, yielding about 8-10 biscuits.
  14. Arrange biscuits in 10-inch cast iron skillet, or close together on parchment paper-lined baking sheet, ensuring biscuits are touching.
  15. Crack egg into small bowl with 1 Tbsp. buttermilk, mixing until combined.
  16. Brush this mixture over the top of each biscuit.
  17. If not using biscuits immediately after cutting, place on baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, store in airtight container for up to 3 months.

Roasted Poblano Cream Sauce

INGREDIENTS
PREPARATION
  1. Slice each poblano in half, cutting out step and seeds.
  2. Set peppers skin-side down over the flame of a gas stove, using metal tongs to move peppers around so the skin is charred and blistered uniformly all over.
  3. Place peppers in bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, allowing them to steam until cool enough to handle, about 15-20 minutes. At this point, the pepper skins will easily fall off.
  4. Remove all skins, seeds, stems, and discard.
  5. Small dice remaining peppers.
  6. In large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, then add garlic, poblanos, and cumin, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  7. Add in heavy cream and chicken broth, heat until simmering.
  8. Add in cheese, lime juice, and 3/4 of the lime zest, stirring until completely melted and combined.
  9. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
  10. Use cilantro and remaining lime zest for garnish.

Slow Roasted Carnitas

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 – 4-1/2 lb. boneless pork roast, excess fat trimmed, cut into 3-inch chunks
  • 1 medium white onion, diced
  • 8-10 cilantro sprigs
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 Tbsp. chipotle powder or 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, minced
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1-1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
PREPARATION
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Add all ingredients to large mixing bowl; toss to combine.
  3. Place pork in large baking dish; cook for 2 hours uncovered.
  4. Cover with foil; cook for another 2 hours.
  5. Test pork to see if easily shreds with a fork. If it needs more time, cover and continue cooking, checking every 30 minutes until pork shreds easily with 2 forks.
  6. Once done, discard half the remaining juices, then shred pork.
  7. Place in airtight container, refrigerate until cool.
  8. Once cool, mix pork again with fat and juices that have congealed by this point.
  9. Pork can be placed in airtight container and refrigerated up to 1 week or frozen up to 3 months.