Carne Adovada is a traditional New Mexican dish made with succulent pork shoulder or butt simmered slowly in a rich, smoky red chile sauce. Unlike carne asada or chile colorado, this recipe is distinct for its deep flavor profile that blends ancho, pasilla, and chipotle chiles with spices like cumin and oregano. The result is fall-apart tender pork, perfect for serving with rice, beans, or tortillas. This budget-friendly, crowd-pleasing dish is a staple of Southwestern comfort food.

Full Recipe:

Ingredients

• 3 lb boneless pork butt or shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch chunks

• 4 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed

• 4 pasilla or New Mexico chiles, stems and seeds removed

• 2 cups chicken broth or water

• 1-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

• 2 tbsp honey

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano

• ⅛ tsp ground cloves

• 2 tsp sea salt

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil

• 2 bay leaves

• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Prep the Pork: Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.

2. Hydrate Chiles: Simmer dried chiles in broth until soft, about 8–10 mins. Let cool slightly.

3. Make the Sauce: Blend softened chiles with chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, honey, vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, cloves, and salt until smooth.

4. Brown the Pork: In a large pot or Dutch oven, sear pork in oil until golden. Remove and set aside.

5. Sauté Aromatics: Cook onions until soft, then add garlic until fragrant.

6. Deglaze and Combine: Pour in the chile sauce, scrape pot bottom, return pork to the pot, and stir to coat. Add bay leaves and bring to a boil.

7. Cook Until Tender:

   • Stovetop: Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2–2.5 hours.

   • Oven: Cover and bake at 325°F for 2–2.5 hours.

8. Finish: Sauce should be thick like ketchup. Simmer uncovered if needed. Season to taste and serve.

Nutrients

Per serving (approximate):

• Calories: 87

• Fat: 5g

• Saturated Fat: 1g

• Cholesterol: 2mg

• Sodium: 1070mg

• Carbohydrates: 10g

• Sugar: 7g

• Fiber: 1g

• Protein: 1g

• Vitamin A: 117 IU

• Vitamin C: 3mg

• Calcium: 35mg

• Iron: 1mg

A Glimpse Into History and Culture

The roots of Carne Adovada trace back to early Spanish colonial times, when settlers in the Southwest began preserving meat with red chile marinades and slow cooking over coals or in clay ovens. This dish embodies centuries of culinary evolution, where indigenous ingredients like native chiles meet European techniques of marinating and braising. It’s also deeply tied to New Mexico’s cultural identity—many families have passed down their own secret versions of the recipe for generations, and it’s a common feature during holidays, fiestas, and Sunday family dinners.

Chiles are the lifeblood of New Mexican cuisine, and Carne Adovada showcases this beautifully. Whether you use locally grown Hatch chiles or a blend of dried ancho, pasilla, and chipotle peppers, the result is always bold, flavorful, and unmistakably regional. The sauce forms the soul of the dish: slightly spicy, richly smoky, and subtly sweet with the addition of honey and garlic. It’s the kind of meal that speaks to tradition, patience, and community.

Why This Recipe Stands Out

What makes this particular Carne Adovada recipe so remarkable is its authenticity and adaptability. The layered chile flavors are deepened with cumin, Mexican oregano, and a touch of ground cloves—offering an aromatic profile that’s both savory and slightly sweet. The pork, cut into hearty chunks, becomes meltingly tender after being braised for hours in the oven or on the stovetop. This method not only ensures maximum flavor absorption but also results in a dish that’s incredibly satisfying to eat.

One of the highlights of this recipe is its make-ahead friendliness. In fact, Carne Adovada often tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to deepen and meld. It also freezes well, making it a fantastic batch-cooking option for meal prep or hosting.

Additionally, the recipe is inherently flexible. Want to reduce the heat? Cut back on the chipotle peppers. Craving more tang? Add a little more white wine vinegar. The balance between smoky, spicy, and sweet allows for customization while preserving the essence of the dish.

Nutritional Benefits and Considerations

While traditional Carne Adovada isn’t typically considered a “light” dish, this particular version is surprisingly manageable in terms of calories and fat. With just 87 calories per serving and only 5 grams of fat, it’s a dish that packs flavor without going overboard on indulgence. The chiles bring not just heat, but also a good dose of antioxidants, vitamin C, and capsaicin—an active compound that may support metabolism and heart health.

The use of lean pork shoulder keeps the dish rich and hearty, yet more balanced than fattier cuts of meat. Garlic, onion, and spices add anti-inflammatory properties, and the slow-cooked nature of the dish helps break down connective tissues in the meat, making it easier to digest and absorb.

Pairing Carne Adovada with wholesome sides like brown rice, whole grain tortillas, or a fresh green salad can help round out the meal with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it part of a nutritious and satisfying dinner.

Serving Suggestions

Carne Adovada is incredibly versatile when it comes to serving options. It shines brightest alongside warm tortillas (corn or flour), but it’s just as good piled over Spanish rice, tucked into burritos, or spooned onto crispy tostadas. You can also serve it as a main feature at a dinner party with Mexican street corn, a tangy cabbage slaw, and a side of black beans or pinto beans.

Leftovers make excellent breakfast additions, too—try it with eggs for a flavorful twist on huevos rancheros, or make a breakfast burrito for a grab-and-go option packed with protein and flavor.

If you’re hosting guests or feeding a crowd, consider offering a toppings bar with shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, diced onions, avocado slices, lime wedges, and sour cream so everyone can build their own plate.

Tips for the Best Carne Adovada

• Use dried chiles of high quality. The flavor of this dish hinges on the quality of the chile pods you use. Choose chiles that are pliable and free of mold or excess dust.

• Let the sauce marinate. If time allows, marinate the pork in the blended chile sauce overnight in the fridge. This step isn’t required but adds even more depth to the final result.

• Low and slow is the key. Whether on the stovetop or in the oven, the magic of this dish happens during the slow simmer. Resist the urge to rush it.

• Adjust heat to taste. If you’re sensitive to spice, start with one chipotle in adobo and taste the sauce before adding more.

• Skim the fat if needed. Depending on the cut of pork used, you may want to skim some of the fat off the top after cooking for a cleaner sauce.

Variations You Can Try

Though traditionalists may prefer the classic pork version, Carne Adovada can be adapted in a number of ways:

• Beef Adovada: Use stewing beef or short ribs instead of pork for a hearty variation.

• Chicken Adovada: Substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a lighter take on the dish.

• Vegetarian Version: Use jackfruit or portobello mushrooms as a meat substitute, simmered in the same red chile sauce for a flavorful plant-based option.

• Taco Filling: Shred the pork after cooking and use it as a filling for tacos, topped with pickled onions and crumbled queso fresco.

Conclusion

Carne Adovada is a soulful, flavor-forward dish that captures the essence of New Mexican cuisine in every bite. Its unique chile-based sauce, slow-cooked meat, and balance of heat and sweetness make it an unforgettable meal that’s both comforting and bold. Whether you’re new to Southwestern cooking or a longtime fan of regional specialties, this dish is a worthy addition to your culinary repertoire.

Beyond its deliciousness, Carne Adovada is a celebration of tradition, culture, and the kind of food that brings people together around the table. With its impressive depth of flavor, ease of preparation, and adaptability, it’s no wonder this dish has stood the test of time. Try it once, and it just might become a regular in your kitchen.