6 oz of dried chiles – 50:50 ancho and pasilla is good. Use what’s available, mostly on the milder side.
6 large cloves of garlic, still in their paper skins
Oil or lard
3# fatty pork, give or take an ounce, ground coarsely. If grinding at home, put through coarsest blade twice.
6 Tbsp (2 shots) white wine or cider vinegar
3 Tbsp (1 shot) tequila
2 tsp salt
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
Large bunch cilantro, minced
Put on a black t-shirt and an old pair of work pants, something you won’t mind staining. Trust me on this.
Process the chiles as usual – Rip off the stems, shake out any loose seeds. Toast them on both sides in a hot dry pan, pressing down on them, until they are soft, fragrant and a little lighter in color. Rip them open and remove the rest of the seeds and veins (if a few persist, they’ll be strained out later). Tear them into large pieces and cover them with as little boiling water as possible, weighing them down so they stay under. Let them soak till soft.
Roast the garlic cloves in foil in a hot oven till soft and a little browned. Take off the paper peel.
Process the chiles and the garlic with some of the soaking liquid in a blender or processor until the paste is smooth. Pass it through a fine food mill to get out the remaining skins and seeds. Fry it in a little oil or lard until it’s as thick as tomato paste, 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Let cool and chill. Can do ahead to here.
Mix the remaining liquid and seasonings into the chili paste and mix enough of this sauce with the meat to moisten and color it strongly, but not enough to make it soupy. Leftover sauce is good in chili, or can be frozen or pressure-canned for later use. Freeze any meat you’re not using immediately, portioned in baggies.
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