Torta Ahogada — Guadalajara's Drowned Pork Sandwich

Instructions

1. Braise the pork: place the pork in a pot with half an onion, 2 garlic cloves, salt, and water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45–50 minutes until very tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and shred the pork roughly.
2. Make the tomato base sauce: roast the tomatoes, remaining onion and garlic in a dry pan until charred. Blend until smooth. Season.
3. Make the chilli sauce: toast the chiles de árbol in a dry pan for 30 seconds until fragrant. Soak in hot water for 10 minutes. Blend with the tomato sauce, vinegar, oregano and 100 ml pork cooking liquid until completely smooth. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season generously — it should be very spicy, acidic and full-bodied.
4. Warm the birote rolls briefly in a 180 °C oven for 5 minutes to crisp. Slice open horizontally.
5. Spread a generous layer of refried beans on both sides of the bread. Pile in the shredded pork and a few raw onion rings.
6. Close the sandwich firmly, then ladle the hot red chilli sauce liberally over the top — and over the sides — so the bread is completely saturated (this is the "drowned" part).
7. Serve in a deep bowl so the sauce pools around the torta. Top with extra raw onion and dried oregano. Eat quickly, while the bread still has some structure.

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