Pupusas con Carne de Cerdo y Queso

Pupusas con Carne de Cerdo y Queso (Pupusas with Pork and Cheese) is a favorite dish nationwide in El Salvador. Pupusas can also be prepared with just a cheese filling, or cheese and onions, or sometimes beans. This Pupusas con Carne de Cerdo y Queso recipe is my favorite, and is filling enough to serve as a whole meal.

Pupusas con Carne de Cerdo y Queso Recipe-

Ingredients:

5 lb. Boston pork butt
1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
1 oz. white vinegar
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 oz. fajita seasoning
1 oz. adobo seasoning
1/2 green bell pepper, cored and seeded
1/2 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
1/2 stalk celery, chopped
1 small Spanish onion, peeled and quartered
1-1/4 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 oz. ricotta cheese, crumbled
2-1/2 lb. maseca flour
2/3 gallon warm water
pickled cabbage, as condiment

Directions:

Chop the pork meat into little bite sized pieces, wash, and pat dry.
Place and mix together the cumin, white vinegar, lemon juice, salt, garlic, fajita seasoning and adobo seasoning in a large bowl. Add in the pork pieces, stir well to coat all the meat pieces well. Cover the bowl and marinate over night, or for at least 12 hours.
Preheat your oven to 325 Fahrenheit.
Drain the marinade off of the pork, and place it in a baking pot along with the red and green bell peppers, celery and onions. Bake until tender and cooked through – about 3 hours should do it.
When well cooked, drain off the oil that has risen to the top of the pot.
While still hot, blend the pork until it is pureed.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork with the ricotta and mozzarella cheeses.
In another bowl, combine the maseca and warm water until you have a soft dough.
Form the dough into golf ball shapes, and using your thumb, press into the center of each ball to make an indentation. Using your fingertips, mold the balls, widening them into 4″ wide bowl shapes.
Spoon 2 tbsp. of the cheesy pork mixture to the center of each bowl; bring the outer edges of the dough together, encasing the filling, and pinch the seal tight. Place the filled balls on a lightly floured flat surface and flatten them into approximately 1/2″ thick disk shapes.
Heat a skillet or griddle to medium-high, and fry the pupusas for 2-3 minutes on each side, until slightly puffed up and golden brown.
Serve your Pupusas con Carne de Cerdo y Queso while nice and warm, with pickled cabbage as a condiment.