Pork Empanadas Recipe

Ingredients

This recipe yields 16 servings.

• 2 pounds pork butt roast
• 1 onion, quartered
• 2 cloves garlic
• teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cups all-purpose flour
• cup masa harina
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• teaspoon salt
• cup lard
• 1 egg, beaten
• cup milk
• 1 cup chipotle salsa

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the filling. In a large pot, place the pork and cover with water. Add onion, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and let it simmer for 1 hours. While the pork cooks, prepare the dough.

Step 2: Prepare the dough. Sift the flour, masa harina, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add the lard and mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and cup milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Stir with a fork until the dough comes together into a ball. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place them in a , cover, and refrigerate.

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). After the pork has simmered for 1 hours, remove it from the liquid and place it in a baking dish. Bake for 1 hour or until the meat shreds easily with a fork. Once done, remove from the oven (keep the oven on) and shred the pork into small pieces. Stir in the chipotle salsa to the shredded pork.

Step 4: Prepare the empanadas. Lightly grease a baking sheet. On a floured surface, flatten one piece of dough with the palm of your hand. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a 5-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling in the center of the dough circle. Brush the edges of the dough with milk, fold it over the filling, and pinch the edges to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork. Place the empanada on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Step 5: Bake the empanadas in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool on a rack for about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Tips

• You can substitute vegetable shortening for the lard, if preferred.
• The empanadas can be frozen, either baked or unbaked. If baking from frozen, do not thaw. Bake at 350F (175C) for 25 to 30 minutes. To reheat baked empanadas from frozen, bake at the same temperature for 15 minutes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: 209
• Total Fat: 13g (16% Daily Value)
• Saturated Fat: 5g (24% Daily Value)
• Cholesterol: 41mg (14% Daily Value)
• Sodium: 270mg (12% Daily Value)
• Total Carbohydrate: 15g (6% Daily Value)
• Dietary Fiber: 2g (5% Daily Value)
• Total Sugars: 1g
• Protein: 9g (17% Daily Value)
• Vitamin C: 1mg (1% Daily Value)
• Calcium: 48mg (4% Daily Value)
• Iron: 2mg (9% Daily Value)
• Potassium: 191mg (4% Daily Value)

Note: Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.