photo by: Richard Gwin

Pulled pork arepas

Recently, a friend suggested I write about arepas, and I realized I’d completely forgotten about the easiest way to pull together a complete meal in minutes. I hadn’t made arepas since college, when they were a standard way to quickly and inexpensively serve dinner to a guest or four.

Arepas are originally from Colombia and Venezuela, and are a simple daily bread that can be stuffed with limitless fillings, though traditionally one might find plantains, shredded beef and black beans. Today, though, they are an excellent basis for any number of flavors and stuffings.

I am partial to pulled pork arepas with varied garnishes or variations. Slaw, black beans, even potatoes can be added to a savory pulled pork to make aripas an easy but fun meal for family or company. Of course, almost anything can be put inside the little corn pocket. Sometimes, I whip them up for breakfast and fill them with egg, avocado and salsa. Or just adding cheese and ham make a nice departure from a grilled cheese sandwich.

For this recipe, I incorporated a bottle of hard cider, because the idea of the mild sweetness with the savory flavors in the rest of the marinade appealed to me. But, in the absence of hard cider, apple cider vinegar can be substituted in lesser quantity.

Pulled Pork Arepas
1 3-4 pound pork roast
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 bottle hard cider (or 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup roughly chopped onion
Water, to fill

Put the pork roast in a slow cooker and cover with the other ingredients. Pour water in to fill to an appropriate line (not completely over the pork but almost to the top).

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

For the arepas
6 cups arepa flour (precooked corn flour)
4 cups warm water
2 tablespoons melted shortening
1 tablespoon salt

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour in the water and slowly incorporate into the flour mixture. Once it is completely dampened, pour in the melted shortening and stir to combine well.

Cover the dough with a towel for 10 minutes and let it rest.

Then, make the dough into “patties” much like you would a hamburger. Meanwhile, heat some oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, and fry the patties on each side for about 2 1/2 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Transfer the patties to a cookie sheet as they are browned, and then move them to the stove for about 12 minutes, until cooked through.

Enjoy finding interesting and new things to fill your arepas with. They’re fun for a dinner party with a “fillings bar” and cost almost nothing to make. Perfect with a rum drink like a Cuba libre.