Adovada New Mexican Pork
Carne Adovada is a traditional New Mexican dish that reflects pretty plainly the influence of the ingredients the area is surrounded with- mainly, their famous chiles. New Mexico Chiles are described as having a crisp clear sensation of warmth and a mild acidity almost similar to cherries than a “burn your face off heat”- ironic, as they’re much bigger and formidable looking than the other chile we paired them with, the Pequin Chiles. Though much smaller and almost reminiscent of a cute little berry you could pop in your mouth for a quick snack, Pequin chiles are a strong, fruity type of heat that have a bit of a nutty twist to them. These two chiles, along with some golden sautéed garlic and floral Mexican Oregano, create a strong flavor profile to our sauce that our meat is left to marinate in overnight. We went with pork as the “carne” in this Carne Adovada which is what it’s traditionally made with- chicken breast might not be an appropriate choice as it has much less fat and can become a little chewy when it overcooks and even if it’s soaked in liquid it might begin to take on a slightly dry texture.
Carne Adovada is a great dish that requires very little overall effort- just a little planning ahead for your marinade and meat to marry. This was be a perfect dish to prepare for a tailgate party and would only get better the longer it had to simmer in a slow cooker!
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 ounces Organic New Mexico Chiles
- 4 cups warm water
- 2 Tablespoons vidalia onion, minced
- 1 Tablespoon Pequin Chiles, ground
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
- 3 pounds pork loin, 3/4 inch cubes
- Soft corn or flour tortillas
- Remove seeds and stems from the Organic New Mexico Chiles. Rinse, drain, and place on baking sheet. Place in 350F oven for 5 minutes. Let cool.
- In a skillet or Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil to medium. Add garlic and saute until golden.
- Place half of the chiles and 2 cups of water in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pour into skillet or Dutch oven with the garlic. Repeat other half.
- Add rest of ingredients except the pork and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
- Add pork cubes to chile mixture. Marinate overnight.
- Place pork in a greased baking dish. Bake covered in 300F oven for 3 hours. After 2 ½ hours, remove cover and finish baking.
- Serve with tortillas.
