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Carne Adovada
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Carne Adovada

Course Main
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings 8
Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by Isabel Eats

Equipment

  • Skillet
  • Medium Pot
  • Blender
  • Large Dutch oven

Ingredients

Carne Adovada:

  • 8 (3-oz) dried ancho chiles, rinsed
  • 12 (2.5-oz) dried guajillo chiles, rinsed
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • Water
  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1½ tsp dried Mexican oregano
  • 1½ tsp ground cumin
  • ¾ tsp dried thyme
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
  • 3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

For Serving:

  • Flour tortillas
  • Oaxaca cheese, shredded
  • Onion & cilantro relish
  • Guacamole
  • Sour Cream

Instructions

  • Remove and discard the seeds and stems from the dried ancho and guajillo chiles. Tear the chiles into medium-sized pieces. 
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chiles and toast them until fragrant, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes.  Side Note: Cooking for more than 2 minutes can make the chiles bitter. 
  • Transfer the toasted chiles to a medium pot along with the bay leaf. Fill the pot with water until the chiles are completely covered.  Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then remove from the heat, cover, and let the chiles soak for 10 minutes. 
  • Transfer the chiles and bay leaf to a large blender with a slotted spoon. Add 3 cups of the chile-soaked water along with the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic cloves, sugar, oregano, cumin, thyme, and sea salt, to taste; blend until very smooth. 
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 of the pork, season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste, and sear on all sides until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. 
  • Add another tablespoon of oil to the Dutch oven, add the remaining pork, season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste, and sear on all sides for about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. 
  • Add the final tablespoon of oil to the Dutch oven, add the onion, and season with a bit of sea salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste. Cook for 4-5 minutes, scraping up bits from the pan. 
  • Return the pork to the Dutch oven and pour the chile sauce on top; stir until evenly coated. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 2 hours. Remove from the heat and taste. Season with additional salt, if needed. 
  • Ladle into a serving bowl and sprinkle the top with freshly chopped cilantro. Serve with flour tortillas, shredded cheese, onion & cilantro relish, guacamole, sour cream, and tons of lime wedges. Enjoy.