new mexico red chile & pork stew (carne adovada)
Carne Adovada is a wonderful staple of New Mexico dinner tables. With chunks of fork-tender pork swimming in an awesome red chile sauce, it is a flavor explosion. One important point… The only way to create an authentic Carne Adovada, is to use a chile pepper that’s only grown in New Mexico. It’s not easy to find, and you might have to order it online; but more on that later. So, you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.
prep time
cook time
3 Hr
method
Bake
yield
8 serving(s)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed, vegetable, or canola oil
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 4 ounces new mexico red chile pods whole, dried (medium heat)
- 2 1/2 cups filtered water
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, medium dice
- 1 tablespoon chile pequin, crushed to a powder, or an equal amount of red chile powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1.2 teaspoons oregano, dried
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- 1 large lime, just the juice
How To Make new mexico red chile & pork stew (carne adovada)
-
Step 1Red Chile Pods: The New Mexico red chile has a very unique & spicy taste... It’s warm and sweet, at the same time. You want those that have been sun dried. In addition, they come in five different varieties: mild, medium, hot, x-hot, and xx-hot. For this dish use mild, or medium. The best come from the Hatch Valley area of New Mexico. A good place to get them online is: http://diazfarms.com/chile-shop?page=shop.browse&category_id=3
-
Step 2Chile Pequin: A small chile pepper, usually attaining a length of only 1/2 inch. They are extremely hot (between 13 to 40 times hotter than a jalapeño) On the Scoville scale they rate from 60,000 to 100,000. In other words: A little goes a long way. A good place to get them online is: http://www.spicesinc.com/p-1537-pequin-chiles.aspx
-
Step 3Red Chile Powder: If you don’t want the heat of the Chile Pequin, you can substitute an equal amount of New Mexico red chile powder. You won’t have as much heat; however, the flavor will still be there. A good place to purchase on line is: http://diazfarms.com/chile-shop?page=shop.browse&category_id=2
-
Step 4Chef’s Note: Since this dish requires resting in the refrigerator overnight, you might want to start the process later in the afternoon.
-
Step 5Gather your ingredients.
-
Step 6Place the oil in a large saucepan, or Dutch oven, over medium heat.
-
Step 7Put the minced garlic into the pan and sauté, until it begins to color.
-
Step 8Chef’s Tip: It will go from golden, to brown, to burned in a short time. Keep your eye on that pan.
-
Step 9Remove the pan from the heat, and leave the garlic in the pan.
-
Step 10Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 375f (190c).
-
Step 11Chef’s Note: Is it spelled Chile, or Chili? This is rule that I go by. The hot peppers or the plant from which the peppers come should be spelled with an "e." A spicy dish of meat and sometimes beans should be spelled with an "i." You can start a bar fight with that question.
-
Step 12Remove the stems from the peppers, and shake to remove the seeds.
-
Step 13Place peppers into a colander and then rinse and drain.
-
Step 14Place in a single layer on a baking sheet, put into the oven, and bake for about 5 to 7 minutes. This will remove any excess water.
-
Step 15Remove from the oven and allow them to cool.
-
Step 16Once sufficiently cool, break each chile into several pieces.
-
Step 17Place the peppers into a blender, or food processor fitted with an S-blade.
-
Step 18Add the filtered water.
-
Step 19Process until pureed.
-
Step 20Chef’s Note: You will probably see a few bits, but for the most part, the mixture should be nice and smooth.
-
Step 21Add the pureed chilies into the saucepan with the garlic.
-
Step 22Add the remaining ingredients, with the exception of the pork and limejuice, to the saucepan.
-
Step 23Bring the sauce to the boil, and then immediately reduce to a low simmer.
-
Step 24Continue to stir and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken.
-
Step 25Chef’s Note: We don’t want it too thick, almost like a light cream sauce.
-
Step 26Chef's Note Remove the saucepan from the heat, and allow it to cool down to room temperature, about 1 to 2 hours.
-
Step 27Chef’s Tip: Don’t hasten the cooling process by placing the saucepan in the refrigerator. As the sauce slowly cools it gives the spices a chance to get acquainted.
-
Step 28While the sauce is cooling, trim the excess fat from the pork and cut into 1 to 1.5 inch cubes.
-
Step 29Chef’s Note: You don’t have to be perfect here… this is a rustic dish.
-
Step 30Chef’s Tip: If you’re planning on using this in a burrito or taco, cut the meat into smaller pieces.
-
Step 31Stir the pork into the chile sauce, cover and place in the refrigerator, overnight.
-
Step 32The next day, place a rack in the lower position, and preheat the oven to 275f (135c).
-
Step 33Cover and place into the oven, and bake until the meat is fork tender, and the sauce has cooked down, about 3 hours.
-
Step 34About once an hour, open the oven and give the stew a quick stir.
-
Step 35Chef’s Note: If, after 3 hours, the sauce still seems a bit runny, remove the cover, and allow to bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
-
Step 36Remove from oven and add the reserved limejuice.
-
Step 37Serve with a simple side salad of lettuce and tomatoes, and bring plenty of freshly made flour tortillas. Enjoy.
-
Step 38Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
Discover More
Culture:
Mexican
Category:
Pork
Keyword:
#hispanic
Keyword:
#pork
Keyword:
#yummy awesome
Keyword:
#tasty New mexico
Ingredient:
Pork
Diet:
Gluten-Free
Diet:
Dairy Free
Diet:
Wheat Free
Diet:
Soy Free
Method:
Bake
Tag:
#Heirloom
Comment & Reviews
ADVERTISEMENT
Just A Pinch Sweepstakes