What you need*:
1 head garlic, cloves peeled (or you can use an equivalent measure of pre-chopped garlic...about 2-3 tablespoons should do it...this is a garlicky sauce.)
1/3 cup sweet paprika
1/4 cup ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 1/3 cups sherry vinegar
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2-by-1-inch strips
4 pounds baby back ribs, cut into individual ribs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 cups water
The Method*:
Puree the garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano and 1/3 cup of the vinegar until smooth. Add the remaining 1 cup of vinegar; process until blended.
Heat 1/3 cup of the olive oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Season the pork shoulder with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, about 13 minutes. Transfer the pork to a platter.
Add the remaining 2/3 cup of olive oil and heat until shimmering. Season the ribs with salt and pepper and add half of them to the casserole in a single layer. Cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Add them to the pork and brown the remaining ribs. Do not pour off the oil.
Return all of the meat to the casserole and season with salt and pepper. Add the vinegar mixture and enough water to cover the meat and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until very tender, 50 minutes to an hour.
*You can make this meat into a more traditional barbecue type recipe by adding a can of tomato paste and 1/2 cup of brown sugar. You would need to reduce the water by about a cup to do that.
