Venezuelan-Style Arepas With Pulled Pork (Arepas Rumberas) Recipe

This tender shredded pork makes a rich and moist filling for Venezuelan-style arepas.

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated September 11, 2020
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J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Why It Works

  • Braising the pork shoulder for several hours breaks down its tough connective tissue, yielding tender, shreddable meat.
  • Reducing the braising liquid concentrates its flavor. The liquid is then added back to the shredded pork, resulting in a rich, moist filling for the arepas.

This filling for Venezuelan-style arepas is my own take on arepas rumberas—"Party Arepas," so-called because they're the kind of thing you want to eat after a night of drinking a bit too much cerveza and aguardiente. Made with pork shoulder stewed in stock with roasted chiles and onions, it's topped with cilantro and dry crumbled fresh cheese (you can use Mexican queso fresco, queso blanco, or even feta).

Traditional? No. Delicious? That's a big si.

April 19, 2012

Recipe Details

Venezuelan-Style Arepas With Pulled Pork (Arepas Rumberas) Recipe

Active 45 mins
Total 3 hrs 15 mins
Serves 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

  • 2 medium cloves garlic, grated on microplane grater (about 2 teaspoons)

  • 1 roasted poblano or hatch chile, fresh, frozen, or canned, finely chopped

  • 2 cups low sodium homemade or store-bought chicken broth

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 cup finely crumbled queso fresco, cotija, or feta

  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Double recipe Venezuelan-Style Arepas

Directions

  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until smoking. Add pork shoulder and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a large plate.

  2. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add chile and chicken stock and scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Return pork to the pot along with bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer. Cover and cook until pork is completely tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

  3. Remove pork from pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a medium bowl. Discard bay leaves, and increase heat to high. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup. Meanwhile, shred pork with 2 forks. Add liquid to pork and season to taste with salt and pepper (it may not need any salt).

  4. Set aside while you make the Venezuelan-style arepas. Split arepas, stuff with pork, top with crumbled cheese and cilantro, and serve with lime wedges and avocado slices if desired.

Special Equipment

Dutch oven

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
524Calories
27gFat
40gCarbs
29gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories524
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g35%
Saturated Fat 11g55%
Cholesterol 89mg30%
Sodium 561mg24%
Total Carbohydrate 40g15%
Dietary Fiber 3g11%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 8mg42%
Calcium 207mg16%
Iron 3mg14%
Potassium 490mg10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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