Try my authentic Carne Asada, Baja Fish Tacos, Chorizo con Papas, and these Pork Carnitas for more amazing Mexican flavors! Carne Adovada is a New Mexican specialty that has been on my “must blog about” list for some time. It’s representing New Mexico in my American Eats series where I’m sharing some of the most famous recipes and dishes from each state, one state at a time! There is so much flavor packed into it that it’s best to serve it with some more simple side dishes like White Rice or Brown Rice, and some veggies on the side, or wrapped in soft tortillas with some chopped onions, cilantro, and queso fresco with a squeeze of lime, but that’s just my personal preference. You can use it in salads, for nachos, in burritos, or any other number of ways you can think of, so feel free to get creative! Carne Adovada is perfect for special occasions or a dinner party, as it does take a bit of a long simmer to fully meld all those flavors. But it’s also great made ahead and reheated the next day, if that’s easier! The good thing is that the prep is super easy. Just chop and sear your pork, simmer, and blend your chiles into a marinade, combine, and cook! For more delicious pork dinner recipes, check out this Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, Kalua Pork, Creamy Apricot Pork Chops, Smoked Pulled Pork, or my Cuban Mojo Pork!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Pork – I have used 3 pounds of boneless pork shoulder cut into 1-1½-inch cubes but there is enough sauce to do up to 4 pounds if you have a larger pork roast. Ancho Chiles – Dried ancho chiles are a milder variety of dried ripened poblano chilies and have a hint of sweetness to them. Pasilla – Pasilla peppers are New Mexican chiles that have a slightly sweet, berry, and cocoa flavor. Chipotle Peppers – Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeño peppers, so they have the same potential for heat as jalapeño peppers but with an added smoky flavor. Guajillo Chiles – Dried guajillo chiles are typically less hot than jalapeño peppers and are used in a variety of Mexican marinades and salsas. Broth – I recommend using low-sodium chicken broth to have better control over the saltiness while still adding a great flavor. If you don’t have chicken broth, also use chicken stock or water. Garlic & Onion – Fresh garlic and freshly chopped onion will give a strong savory base to your dish. White Vinegar – To give the sauce a great zing! Seasoning – Use a mixture of dried Mexican oregano, dried thyme, ground cumin, kosher salt, and a dried bay leaf. Brown Sugar – Balances out the spice with a bit of sweetness and helps to caramelize the sauce a bit. Oil – To sauté the onion and some of the garlic. Any kind of neutral-flavored oil is great here, like vegetable oil, canola oil, or olive oil. To Serve – I’d recommend serving this spicy dish with some rice, fresh lime wedges, chopped cilantro, and warm corn tortillas or homemade flour tortillas.
How to Make Pork Carne Adovada
Tips for Success
Pat your pork shoulder pieces with paper towels to soak up any excess liquid so you’re not waiting too long for it to evaporate before it sears. You don’t want to create steam in your pan or the sear won’t be as nice. Feel free to add some fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or soy sauce for an added umami flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
Spice it up. Make this dish even spicier by leaving some of the seeds in the peppers, by using hotter peppers, by adding some of your favorite hot sauce, or by adding red pepper flakes to the mix. Make it sweeter. Add some dried fruit like raisins to the chilis as they simmer for an added sweetness. Tortillas. Use flour tortillas or corn tortillas, depending on your preference. Corn tortillas are more traditionally used in Mexican cuisine, but I know some people prefer flour ones. Change the meat. Change up the kind of meat used with this marinade. Chunks of beef chuck roast would work just as well as the pork and hold up to the bold flavor of the sauce and chicken would work too, although it probably won’t need to cook as long.
More Chili, Soup, and Stew Recipes
Authentic San Francisco Cioppino Seafood Stew (Italian Seafood Stew) New England Clam Chowder Classic Beef Stew Georgian Chicken Stew with Tomatoes and Herbs Japanese Chicken Curry
Here’s a mini-Schoville scale for you to use in deciding which peppers to choose for this dish if you need to make substitutions. The flavors of chiles can vary, so be sure to check their compatibility before making changes.
Ancho Chiles – 1,000-1,500 Poblano Peppers – 1,000-2,000 Pasilla Chiles – 500-2,500 Anheim Peppers – 500-2,500 Hatch Chiles – 1,000-8,000 Guajillo Chiles – 2,500-5000 Jalapeno Peppers – 2,500-8000 Chipotle Peppers – 2,500-8000
Crockpot Pork Green Chili Stew
Cincinnati Style Chili
The Best Recipe for White Chicken Chili
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