Info
- Cook time: 55 minutes
- Total time: 3 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings
Ingredients
For the Pork
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground sage
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 red onion, cut into sixths
- 1 navel orange, quartered
- 3 cups sweet tea
For the Pockets
- 5 ounces frozen spinach, thawed
- Half of a 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 5 ounces frozen corn, thawed
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar
- 1/2 cup pickled jalapenos, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into small dice (about 1 cup)
- Four 15-ounce boxes refrigerated rolled pie crusts
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
- Prepare the pork: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, stir together the salt, chili powder, cumin, mustard, sage, paprika, cinnamon, and cracked black pepper. Rub this spice mixture all over the pork shoulder.
- Set a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add the oil and heat until it shimmers. Sear the pork on all sides until nicely browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the red onion and orange pieces to the pot. Cook, stirring, until the orange edges caramelize, about 6 minutes. Return the pork to the pot and pour in the sweet tea—it should cover about two-thirds of the pork without fully submerging it. Cover and braise in the oven, flipping the pork halfway through, until it shreds easily with a fork, about 2 hours.
- Make the filling: While the pork cooks, prepare the vegetable mixture. Squeeze the spinach dry, then crumble it into a large bowl with your fingers. Add the black beans, corn, pepper jack, Cheddar, pickled jalapenos, cilantro, salt, black pepper, scallion, and bell pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Take the pork out of the pot and discard the cooking liquid. Shred the meat with two forks into bite-size pieces, removing any fatty bits. Add the shredded pork to the vegetable mixture and toss to combine.
- Assemble the pockets: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 2 rounds of pie dough. Drop six 1/4-cup portions of filling onto the first round, spacing them apart. Place the second round directly on top. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into individual triangular pockets around each mound.
- Working with one triangle at a time, press a fork along the edges to seal all 3 sides. Transfer the sealed pocket to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Brush the triangles with beaten egg for even browning. Bake until golden and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.
