Fritada Ecuatoriana (Ecuadorian Fried Pork with Hominy)

About This Recipe

Fritada is the celebratory dish of Ecuador's sierra highlands — large pieces of pork (shoulder, ribs, belly) cooked by a two-stage process that first renders them tender through long simmering in a spiced broth of chicha (fermented corn beer), garlic, cumin and onion, then fries them in their own rendered fat until the exterior becomes deeply golden, caramelized and crackling. The result is pork that is simultaneously tender inside and shatteringly crispy outside — the best of braised and fried textures in one bite. Fritada is inseparable from mote (boiled hominy corn), which is the starchy base that absorbs the pork drippings and provides the characteristic chewiness against which the crispy pork crackles. Llapingachos (cheese-filled potato cakes pan-fried until golden) and curtido de cebolla (pickled onion) complete the classic fritada plate. Tostado (toasted corn kernels) and ripe avocado round out the traditional accompaniments at an Ecuadorian market fritadera stall. The dish is strongly associated with the markets and fiestas of Quito, Otavalo and Latacunga in the Ecuadorian highlands, where large copper cauldrons of fritada are a fixture of Sunday market days and festivals. The pork fat rendered during cooking is collected and used as lard for subsequent preparations — nothing is wasted.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1.5 kgpork shoulder or ribs(cut into 5 cm chunks, bone-in pieces preferred)
• 1 largewhite onion(roughly chopped)
• 8 clovesgarlic(smashed)
• 2 tspground cumin
• 1 tspachiote (annatto) powder(for color)
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 1 cupchicha or light beer(or water with 1 tbsp vinegar)
• 0.5 cupwater
• 400 gmote (cooked hominy corn)(for serving)
• 2 largered onions(thinly sliced, for curtido)
• 0.5 cupfresh lemon juice(for curtido)
• 1 bunchfresh cilantro(for curtido and garnish)
• 2ripe avocados(for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the pork

   Combine pork pieces with onion, garlic, cumin, achiote, salt and pepper in a large pot. Add chicha and water. Marinate 30 minutes at room temperature (or overnight refrigerated).

2. 2

   Simmer until tender

   Place the pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered 50–60 minutes, turning pork occasionally. The liquid will gradually reduce and the pork fat will begin to render. Continue until almost all liquid has evaporated.

   Do not add extra water — the evaporation is the point. As the liquid reduces, the pork essentially fries in its own rendered fat.

3. 3

   Fry in rendered fat

   Once liquid has evaporated and only golden fat remains, increase heat to medium-high. Fry the pork in the rendered fat 15–20 minutes, turning frequently, until deeply caramelized and crispy on all sides. The residual garlic and onion will also crisp and caramelize.

4. 4

   Make the curtido

   Toss sliced red onion with lemon juice, salt and cilantro. Let macerate 15 minutes.

5. 5

   Serve

   Arrange fritada pieces on a platter. Serve with warm mote, curtido, avocado slices and llapingachos if making. Spoon some of the rendered cooking fat over the mote.

Variations

• •

  Fritada de borrego: substitute lamb shoulder for the pork — traditional in some Andean highland provinces.

• •

  Add diced ají amarillo to the simmering broth for heat.

Storage

Fritada keeps refrigerated 3 days. Reheat in a dry heavy skillet over medium-high heat to restore crispiness — do not microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions