One of my favorite side dishes is polenta. Incredibly simple, inexpensive, versatile, and amazingly delicious, there are never any leftovers. The best thing about this cheesy side is that it can be served along with meat, chicken, shrimp, steamed or grilled vegetables and in just 15 minutes you have the perfect meal!
This recipe was written for Disney’s Spoonful.com. See all of my recipes here.
Nothing says comfort food like carnitas to this Texas girl. If you are not familiar with the term carnitas, it’s basically what we call slow roasted pulled pork butt with a little spice. If you’ve been around ISMS for awhile you already know my love for carnitas and might have stumbled upon the low-fat crock pot version of poblano and onion carnitas. In their own right, the healthier version is wonderful and great for an everyday meal but when you want to impress or just need that over the top comfort meal, this recipe that I’m about to share with you will do the trick.
Poblano Carnitas on Goat Cheese Polenta is by far one of my favorite meals and a top choice meal to entertain with because I can cook the meat the day before a party and only have the polenta to cook the day of. Also good for an everyday meal the leftover carnitas make great tacos. Rich, savory, and insanely tender, the spices and flavor of these poblano carnitas elegantly blend with the creamy tangy goat cheese polenta for an unforgettable meal.
*Poblano peppers are known for their very mild heat. For entertaining I will add a serrano pepper or use roasted Anaheim (Hatch chilies) in place of the poblano peppers to kick it up a notch. But if my daughter is eating this meal, and it is one of her favorites, I make sure the poblanos are mild before using and cut back to 2 instead of 3.
Poblano Carnitas on Goat Cheese Polenta serves 6 to 8
for the carnitas:
for the polenta:
Polenta recipe adapted from The Cooking Of Italy circa 1950s
Preheat oven to 325° F. Slice the poblano peppers in half and remove the seeds. Slice the poblanos in 1/2 inch rings.
Peel and slice the onion into rings as well.
Peel and coarsely chop the garlic. Set poblanos, onions, and garlic aside.
Combine salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder in a small bowl and rub onto the entire roast.
In a large dutch oven or stew pot, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat and place the roast in the pot. Sear for 5 to 8 minutes a side until browned on all sides.
Once the meat is browned, add the chicken broth, poblanos, onion, and garlic on top of the pork roast. Holy moly that smells good. Cover and place in the oven for 4 hours. Yeah, I know it sounds like forever (like the government settling on the debt ceiling kind of forever) but it’s worth it.
This is the point where you can let it cool and set it in the fridge overnight if you are entertaining the next day. But if you are planning on serving right away, set it aside and let it cool off a bit.
Once the meat has cooled but still warm, remove it from the pot and set on a cutting board or plate. Leave juice, peppers, and onions in the pot. With a fork shred the meat into large bite sized pieces. It’s ok, I know you want to take a bite. Go ahead….. I was right wasn’t I? That’s what heaven must taste like. Return carnitas to the pot with the poblanos, stir, and cover to keep warm.
For the polenta: In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Once the water is boiling, slowly add the cornmeal to the water in small amounts while whisking (with a whisk). Once all of the cornmeal is in the water, reduce the heat to medium-low and moderately whisk for 15 minutes. Tip: before you start your polenta, make sure everything else you are serving is complete, there’s some good music or a TV show on, a guest in the kitchen and most importantly a good glass of wine in arms reach. This makes the 15 minutes of continuous whisking go by much faster.
Once the 15 minutes is up and you have a beautiful creamy polenta, stir in olive oil, and goat cheese. Taste and add salt if needed.
Serve immediately by spooning a portion of the goat cheese polenta on a plate and place the poblano carnitas with a spoonfull of drippings from the pot. Garnish with chopped cilantro and chopped tomatoes (optional).
Creamy, tangy, succulent and a little spicy, Poblano Carnitas on Goat Cheese Polenta will soon be a favorite of yours too. Enjoy.
Poblano Carnitas on Goat Cheese Polenta serves 6 to 8
prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 4 hours 15 minutes
for the carnitas:
for the polenta:
Polenta recipe adapted from The Cooking Of Italy circa 1950s
1. Preheat oven to 325° F. Slice the poblano peppers in half and remove the seeds. Slice the poblanos in 1/2 inch rings.
2. Peel and slice the onion into rings as well and peel and coarsely chop the garlic. Set poblanos, onions, and garlic aside.
3. Combine salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder in a small bowl and rub onto the entire roast.
4. In a large dutch oven or stew pot, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat and place the roast in the pot. Sear for 5 to 8 minutes a side until browned on all sides.
5. Once the meat is browned, add the chicken broth, poblanos, onion, and garlic on top of the pork roast. Cover and place in the oven for 4 hours.
6. This is the point where you can let it cool and set it in the fridge overnight if you are entertaining the next day. Just reheat on the stove top on medium- low heat until warm. If you are planning on serving right away, set it aside and let it cool off a bit.
7. Once the meat has cooled but still warm, remove it from the pot and set on a cutting board or plate. Leave juice, peppers, and onions in the pot. With a fork shred the meat into large bite sized pieces. Return carnitas to the pot with the poblanos, stir, and cover to keep warm.
8. For the polenta: In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Once the water is boiling, slowly add the cornmeal to the water in small amounts while whisking (with a whisk). Once all of the cornmeal is in the water, reduce the heat to medium-low and moderately whisk for 15 minutes.
9. Once the 15 minutes is up and you have a beautiful creamy polenta, stir in olive oil and goat cheese. Taste and add salt if needed.
10. Serve immediately by spooning a portion of the goat cheese polenta on a plate and place the poblano carnitas with a spoonfull of drippings from the pot. Garnish with chopped cilantro and chopped tomatoes (optional).
