Corn Cake Carnitas Sandwiches

Recipe by Andrew Harman - 2022 Great Griddle Off Contestant

Serves 2

Time: 13 hours

Difficulty: Intermediate

Ingredients:

• 1 pork shoulder
• 24 ounce jar of Herdez Salsa Verde
• 1 cup white corn masa harina cornmeal
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 red onion
• 1 can black beans
• 1 bunch arugula
• 1 cup cotija cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
• ¼ cup minced garlic
• 2 tablespoon minced jalapeños
• 2 limes, quartered
• 3/4 cups sour cream
• ¼ cup Mexican créma
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preparing the Carnitas:

1. Place pork shoulder and salsa verde into a slow cooker/crockpot. Cook on low for 12 hours; the meat should be shredded and falling apart.
2. Transfer pork and sauce to a deep baking dish using tongs; remove bone (if necessary) and break it apart with forks. Transfer back to the sauce in the crockpot. Using a strainer, strain juices into a separate container, transfer the sauce, and meat back to the baking dish.

Preparing the Corn Cakes:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, eggs, and buttermilk; season with pepper. Whisk to thoroughly combine.
2. Preparing the Vegetables and Cheeses:
3. Halve and thinly slice red onion, grate mozzarella cheese, grate and crumble the cotija cheese, wash the arugula, and strain the can of black beans. Set all ingredients aside.

Preparing the Creamy Cilantro Sauce:

1. Small dice one-quarter of the red onion slices to make ¼ cup. Mix cilantro, onions, garlic, jalapeños, and the juice of 2-3 lime wedges in a food processor to create the cilantro sauce.
2. Combine sour cream, Mexican créma, and cilantro sauce with the juice of 2 lime wedges and set aside.

Preparing the Sandwiches:

1. Prepare the pork, corn cakes, vegetables and cheeses, and sauces as described above. Preheat the Blackstone griddle top to medium-high heat (approximately 375-400F). Lightly oil the griddle top.
2. On one side of the griddle top, carefully pour the corn cake batter into four equal-sized pancakes, keeping them separate. On the other side of the griddle spread 2-3 cups of the pulled pork. Cook 2-3 minutes or until the bottoms of the corn cakes are lightly browned (plenty of white still showing) and firm. Flip the corn cakes and immediately cover them with shredded mozzarella; cover with a basting cover. Chop and flip the browning carnitas. Pour the can of strained black beans onto one section of the griddle to warm.
3. Pull the corn cakes and carnitas after 2-3 minutes or the corn cakes are cooked through and browned on the bottom with the cheese melted.
4. Assemble the sandwiches. On one side of the cheesy corn cakes place the arugula, a tablespoon of black beans, a few pieces of red onion, and as much carnitas as you like (roughly one-third cup should fit nicely). Top with cotija cheese and the creamy cilantro sauce and add some cilantro sauce to the other corn cake (top). Top the sandwich with the other corn cake and enjoy! Makes two sandwiches with plenty of pork and ingredients for more!