2 pounds pork, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

salt

6 chilies anchos

6 chilies pasillas

2 teaspoons fresh marjoram

2 sprigs fresh thyme, if available, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme.

5 whole cloves

1 1inch piece cinnamon

6 peppercorns

6 cloves garlic peeled

1/4 small white onion

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/4 cup vinegar

1/2 cup lard

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

2 bay leaves

A. Place the pork in a saucepan and add salted water to cover. Boil slowly until the meat is tender is not overcooked. Drain and save the cooking liquid.

B. Remove the seeds from the chilies and add hot water to cover. Let stand fifteen minutes then drain.

C Grind the marjoram, thyme,cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, garlic, onion, cumin seeds and salt to taste. While grinding add the vinegar to moisten. For this use a mortar and pestle and electric blender.

D. Grind the chilies separately and add them to the spices.

E. Heat the lard in a fireproof earthenware casserole or a skillet and brown the pork lightly. Drain the pork and set aside. In the same lard cook the spice and chili mixture, stirring constantly and taking care that the mixture does not burn. This should take about 15 minutes.

F. Add the sugar and bay leaves. When the sauce is properly made it is very thick and barely slides off the side of a wooden spoon. At that point, add the meat and stir briefly. Add one and a half cups of the liquid in which the pork cooked and simer ten minutes longer.