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Carne Adovada

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Carne Adovada


Carne Adovada. As Published in our Celebrating the Foods of New Mexico Cookbook.

1/3 cup peanut or vegetable oil
3 1/2 pounds pork loin or butt, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 cups diced onion
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth or water
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted and ground
2 teaspoons dried Mexican Oregano
2 teaspoons chile caribe
3/4 cup New Mexican ground red chile, mild or medium
1 Tablespoon red chile honey
2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Salt to taste
Flour tortillas

Serves 8

Prep Time 30m, Cooking Time 4h, Total Time 4h 15m

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown pork in batches, taking care not to crowd the pan. Set the pork aside. Add the onion to skillet and sauté until golden. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Deglaze the skillet with 1 cup of the chicken broth, loosening the browned bits with a spoon,

Place the coriander, oregano, chile caribe, red chile powder, red chile honey, vinegar and salt in the work bowl of a food processor. Add the cooked onions, garlic and broth from the skillet and add 2 more cups of the chicken broth. Process until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

Place the browned pork, chile sauce, and the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth into an ovenproof pot or dish. Stir to combine well and cook for 1 hour or until the pork is tender. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve with warm flour tortillas.

Optional seasonings: ground canela, ground cumin seed, toasted ground chile seeds, toasted ground pumpkin seeds.

Note: This dish reheats wonderfully and is better the next day.

Note: The traditional method for making this dish is to mix the marinade ingredients together and pour this over the meat. Cover the mixture and refrigerate overnight. Pour the meat and the marinade into an ovenproof casserole or pot and bake, covered, for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, or until tender. The method described above, although not so traditional, brings out the flavors of the onion, garlic and pork because the ingredients are caramelized or browned first. Whichever method you choose, the dish is full of flavor and will be a favorite. You can serve the Carne Adovada over chile rellenos, rice, wrapped in a flour tortilla as a burrito, or with beans and posole.

Shopping for Ingredients

Many of the ingredients for our recipes are available directly from the Santa Fe School of Cooking. Shop Ala Cart or Purchase all the Ingredients as a Package.

Ingredients and Tools available at the School of Cooking

(Coriander Seed - 3 oz.) - $5.40
(Mexican Oregano - 1 oz.) - $5.25
(3 oz.) - $8.00
- $9.00
(12 oz.) - $9.50
Total Cost: $37.15

Other Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup peanut or vegetable oil
  • 3 1/2 pounds pork loin or butt, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 2 cups diced onion
  • 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
  • 4 cups chicken broth or water
  • 2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • Salt to taste
  • Flour tortillas