Recipe: Pueblo Barbecued Pork Roast (with tomato-based sauce using chiles and chocolate)

PUEBLO BARBECUED PORK ROAST

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 dried juniper berries, crushed
1/2 tsp crushed coriander seed
1 bay leaf
4 large ripe tomatoes, quartered, seeded
1 1/4 cups water
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 to 1/2 cup honey
1 tbsp ground New Mexican red chile
1 dried medium-hot New Mexican red chile, crushed
2 tsp salt
1 oz square unsweetened chocolate, grated
1 (4 lb to 5) lb pork rib roast

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan and saute onions in it over medium heat until soft.

Add garlic, juniper berries, coriander seed and bay leaf and saute for 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Add tomatoes, water, vinegar, honey, ground and crushed chile and salt. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes.

Add chocolate and simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, until fairly thick.

TO COOK THE ROAST:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place roast fat side up in a roasting pan and baste generously with the sauce.

Roast for about 3 hours, basting occasionally with sauce and pan drippings. Let roast sit for 10 minutes in a warm place before carving.

Slice and spoon additional sauce over each portion.

Makes 6 servings
Source: Jayne Benet, San Francisco Chronicle, March 18, 1992
Adapted from: American Game Cooking by John Ash and Sid Goldstein