Pork Shoulder Braised in Chiles and Beer

This recipe comes from Bon Appétit magazine; the pork was succulent and tender and the smell in the house while it was slow cooking in the oven was divine. We ate this two nights in a row; the first night in taco form and the next with rice and beans. I loved it both ways! Delicious with a Negro Modelo. If you have the opportunity to make this the day before you want to serve it, keep the shredded meat separate from the pan juice and the next day skim the fat from the top.

4 large dried ancho chiles
2 dried chiles de árbol
2 T sugar
1 T fresh lime juice
5 lb pork shoulder
salt and pepper

2 T vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 t Mexican dried oregano
2 t ground coriander
2 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground allspice
1 12-oz. Negro Modelo

Accompaniments:
corn tortillas
radishes, diced
pickled red onions
salsa verde

Place the chiles in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water; set a plate on the chiles to keep them submerged for 30 minutes. Reserve 1 cup soaking liquid. In a blender, put the chiles, sugar, lime juice and 1/2 cup soaking liquid. Purée until smooth. Generously (and I mean it!) season the pork with salt and pepper and rub the paste all over the pork. Let sit overnight if possible. If not, no big deal.

Preheat oven to 300º

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, garlic, bay leaves and spices. Cook stirring often for about 8 minutes. Add the beer and bring to a boil. Put the pork inside the pot and cover. Braise the pork for around 6 hours or more, basting occasionally. Transfer the pork to a large platter and shred the meat (leaving behind fatty chunks and yucky bits) with a fork and return to the pot. You could do this in a crock pot as well (transfer everything after adding the beer); I think you would have to cook it a good long time in the crock pot-- how's that for precise instruction???