Tijuana Trainwreck

Our family first ate this at the home of Rick and Sue Stewart in Grafton, VA over twenty years ago. It became a staple in our dinner line-up during the years we were dealing with teen age appetites. 
 

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Tijuana Trainwreck

4 pound pork shoulder roast
1 pound pinto beans, sorted, soaked and cooked separately till soft
1 teas oregano
3 cloves garlic
1 teas cumin
1 T salt
2 T chili powder
3 cans chopped green chiles
Water

tortilla chips
lettuce
grated cheese
chopped scallions
sliced olives
any other taco salad ingredients you prefer

In a large dutch oven cover roast with water and cook with spices several hours until very well done and easy to shred. (You can cook the roast whole or you can cut it into large chunks before cooking. If it has a bone in it, it may be easier to cook whole.) After cooking you may want to skim the fat or you can refrigerate it until chilled and skim the fat.  Remove any bones; shred the pork with 2 forks. Then return to heat and add cooked beans. Taste and adjust seasonings; if needed, add more of the spices. Add the green chilies. Continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated taking care that the meat doesn't scorch.

For each diner, top a plate with tortilla chips. Top the chips with a generous spoonful of Trainwreck mixture. At the table, pass additional taco salad ingredients, allowing each diner to customize his or her "wreck". 

This can be frozen, which is good because it makes a ton!

Notes from Colette:

This is the original recipe. I advise browning the roast either whole or cut into pieces. This will enhance the flavor. Depending on availability, you might substitute 1/2 to 3/4 cup roasted and chopped New Mexico chiles or poblanos for the canned chile. Purists may want to use powdered dried chiles, but if you do, remember to add some garlic. Trainwreck would make a good filling for a torta, too.