Last week was one of the hottest weeks we’ve had in Charlotte all summer. It was sticky, humid, and hot, and I just wanted it to turn into winter again – you probably already saw that on my Instagram. Well, my wish came true and we had days and nights in the 60s, where I was able to leave my doors and windows open and have the fresh air spill in. And because of this abnormal weather,  it became the perfect time to make these mexican shredded pork polenta bowls.

Even though this seems like a normal comfort food, fall-type dish, I promise that it’s not so heavy that you’ll feel weighed down from it – even in the summer. The great part about it is that you can make the shredded pork in a crockpot so you don’t have to turn on an oven. While there are 4 separate recipes and components to this dish, they all are relatively simple, and nothing really requires you having to stand over a stove watching something, with the exception of the polenta, where all you have to do is whisk it for 4 minutes, and THEN you set it by itself to cook.

While all of the individual components are great individually, I really like the combination of all four when they are in this bowl. The onions give it a sweetness and a bit of tang from the vinegar (please don’t skip these!), the jalapeno crema brings the heat, the pulled pork is full of flavor and incredibly tender and juicy, and the creamy polenta is the perfect vehicle to scoop everything up into the perfect bite. You can always wait until the fall to make these, but if the weather ever dips below 85 degrees, you probably can build a strong enough case to go ahead and whip these up. At least that’s my reasoning.

Mexican Shredded Pork Polenta Bowls

Mexican Shredded Pork
(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

4 dried ancho chiles (about 3 oz)
Juice of 2 limes
2 Tbsp sugar
5 lb bone in pork shoulder
1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp cumin
1 12oz beer (I used Modelo)
Salt and pepper

Quick Pickled Red Onions
(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

1 cup water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsps kosher salt
1/2 – 1 whole red onion, sliced thinly

Jalapeno Crema

7 oz creme fraiche
1 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, diced
1/4 tsp salt, to taste

Polenta

1 cup cornmeal
4 cups water
1 1/2 tsps salt, to taste
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Begin by steeping the chiles in boiling water for about 30 minutes or until softened. Remove the stems and most of the seeds from the softened chiles and place in food processor; reserve the steeping liquid. Add the juice of the limes, sugar, and 1/2 cup of the steeping liquid. Blend until a paste forms, adding more of the reserved water if needed.

Salt the pork shoulder liberally and rub on the chile paste mixture on all sides. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat and place the pork in. Sear on all four sides until brown, about 4-5 minutes a side.

Meanwhile, in a crock pot, place the onions, bay leaves, cumin, and beer and set over high heat. Once the pork has been seared on all sides, place in the crock pot and turn the heat down to low. Cook for at least 8 hours or until fork tender. Shred with two forks in the leftover liquid and let sit for at least 10 minutes after it’s been shredded. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over top of polenta, in tacos, burritos, sandwiches, or quesadillas.

Prepare the pickled onions by combining the water, vinegar, salt and sugar and stir until sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the onions and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Cover and chill until ready to use.

For the jalapeno crema, combine all ingredients in a food processor. Keep covered in fridge until ready to use.

For the polenta, bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Once the water is boiling, whisk in the polenta and salt. Continue whisking while bringing down the heat to low. Once the polenta has thickened about 4-5 minutes, cover with a lid and let cook for 15 minutes. Cook to the done-ness you like. If the polenta is not yet creamy enough, give it a stir and cover again and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Once the polenta is done, stir in the heavy cream and butter until well incorporated. Salt to taste.

To assemble the bowls, layer in first the polenta, top with the mexican shredded pork, pickled red onions, and a drizzle of the jalapeno crema. Serve immediately.