Amigos, I can’t wait to share this recipe for Carne Adovada (New Mexico-Style Pork Stew With Red Chiles) with you. Spoon-tender chunks of slow-cooked pork swimming in a vibrant and intensely-flavored red chile sauce are perfect for eating like a bowl of chili, stuffing into corn tortillas, or serving with beans and rice.

two terracotta bowls filled with steamed rice and carne adovada New Mexico-style pork stew with red chiles on a black and white patterned tile tabletop.

What Is Carne Adovada?

Carne Adovada is a specialty in New Mexican cuisine and is usually served as a main entrée similar to a stew (e.g. Pork Green Chile). Essentially it’s a bowl of rich, bright, flavorful, spicy, tangy, meaty, with perfectly juicy, spoon-tender hunks of pork just waiting to fall apart in your mouth or to be tucked in a homemade corn tortilla.

I grew up eating chile colorado con carne which is similar to this dish but is made with beef instead of pork. It’s also quite similar to Asado de Chile Colorado (Pork in Red Chile Sauce), though it uses pork shoulder roast instead of pork loin.

Is It Carne Adobada or Adovada?

Adobada (also sometimes called “enchilada“) is Spanish for “marinated”, which in general means to cook something in an adobo sauce—a sauce made with chiles, flavored with spices and vinegar. While it’s often served as a stew like carne adovada, in certain states in Mexico, carne adobada is a common filling for tacos.

Carne adobada (literally “marinated meat”) can come in all shapes in sizes from simmered chunks to shreds. Carne adovada, however, is the New Mexican specialty that is essentially the state’s version of Texas-style chili con carne. In carne adovada, the pork is always served as pork chunks in a red chile sauce like a stew.

Why I Love This Recipe

This recipe is from the book Taqueria Tacos: A Taco Cookbook to Bring the Flavors of Mexico Home, written by my online blogging amiga Leslie. Some of you might not know this, but Leslie translated the Spanish edition, Muy Bueno: Tres Generaciones de Auténtico Sabor Mexicano.

This dish is the ultimate comforting meal, best served with warm corn tortillas, beans, and rice. Aside from being totally delicious and stick-to-your-ribs filling, this recipe is:

  • Quick & Easy. All you need is 5 minutes of prep time, and then let the marinade and stovetop do the work. Dinner will be ready in just 35 minutes plus marinating time.
  • Pantry-Centric. While this carne adovada calls for 13 ingredients, nearly all of them are pantry staples. Dried chiles, a few herbs and spices, oil and vinegar, and garlic and onion are all you need.
  • Meal-Prep-Friendly. As with most stews, New Mexico-style carne adovada only tastes better after a day or two in the fridge. Make a batch on your prep day and enjoy the bounty all week long.
  • Budget-Friendly. Pork shoulder roast is one of the most inexpensive pieces of meat you can find. Get all that carnivorous goodness without a hefty price tag!
overhead shot of the ingredients needed to make carne adovada pork stew on a wooden cutting board.

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, most of the ingredients for this pork carne adobada recipe are probably already in your pantry. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Dried Ancho ChilesDried Guajillo Chiles, & Dried Pasilla Chiles – This recipe calls for a variety of chiles. I actually did not have any guajillo chiles, so I replaced with New Mexico chiles. They share a comparable sweetness and earthiness, and they are not as spicy.
  • Garlic & Onion – These aromatics add tons of flavor to the adobo sauce. Feel free to use any color of onion you like. If you don’t have any fresh garlic, you can swap in 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
  • White Vinegar – This ubiquitous acid acts to brighten the sauce and tenderize the meat. In a pinch, you can swap in apple cider vinegar and if you want to be fancy use tequila blanco.
  • Coarse Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper – Seasoning is super important in every dish, especially savory masterpieces like this one.
  • Ground Cumin – If you only have whole cumin seeds, give them a light toast in a dry pan before crushing them with a mortar and pestle.
  • Dried Oregano – Use Mexican oregano if possible; it’ll give you the most authentic flavor.
  • Ground Cinnamon – For a bit of warmth.
  • Pork Shoulder Roast – Feel free to swap in pork butt or Boston butt instead.
  • Vegetable Oil – Any high smoke point, neutral-flavored oil will do. You can also use corn, canola, grapeseed, avocado, refined coconut, or peanut oil.

How To Make New Mexico-Style Carne Adovada

This simple pork stew comes together with almost no effort. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Simmer Chiles. In a medium saucepan, bring the dried chiles and water to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the chiles have softened. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Drain.

Step 2: Blend Red Chile Sauce. Blend the softened chiles, garlic, onion, vinegar, salt, cumin, pepper, oregano, and cinnamon in a blender until smooth.

Step 3: Marinate. In a large bowl or baking dish, mix together the pork and chile purée until the meat is coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

pouring red chile sauce over pork pieces to marinate.

Step 4: Cook & Enjoy! In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the carne adobada and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the meat is cooked through. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes, until most of the juices from the meat and adobo sauce have evaporated and the meat has started to brown. Serve with beans and rice, or use as a filling for tacos.

Expert Tips

Making carne adobada is actually quite simple, but there are a few things I’ve learned along the way:

  • Cut meat into even pieces for even cooking. I recommend freezing the meat for about 15 minutes before cutting to make it easier to handle. For New Mexican-style pork stew, make sure to cut the pieces into chunks about 3/4 of an inch across.
  • Use a blend of chiles for depth of flavor. Using multiple types of chiles is what gives this sauce it’s depth of flavor. Make sure to use at least 2 varieties for the best flavor.
  • Make the chili sauce ahead of time. Much like my red chile sauce, you can make a big batch and freeze the adobo for up to 6 months.
  • Storage. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months!
closeup hero shot of carne adovada in a terracotta bowl over a portion of steamed rice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between carne adovada and carne asada?

Typically speaking, carne adobada is almost always made with pork, whereas carne asada is always steak. Carne adovada is also simmered or braised in a red chile sauce known as adobo, whereas carne asada is typically cooked on the grill.

What does carne adobada taste like?

Bright, tangy, spicy, meaty, and delicious.

What type of meat is adobada?

Adobada refers to a method of cooking (it actually translates to “marinated”), so it can apply to nearly any kind of meat. However, carne adobada/adovada most often refers to a pork stew. In this recipe, I like to use pork shoulder, but you can also feel free to use pork butt/Boston butt instead.

More Hearty Meat Stews

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horizontal hero shot of 2 bowls of carne adobada (carne adovada) New Mexico pork stew on a black and white tiled surface.

Mexican barro bowl filled with steamed rice and carne adovada New Mexico-style pork stew with red chiles on a black and white patterned tile tabletop.

Carne Adovada (New Mexico-Style Pork Stew With Red Chiles)

4.34 (12 ratings)
Amigos, I can't wait to share this recipe for Carne Adovada (New Mexico-Style Pork Stew With Red Chiles) with you. Spoon-tender chunks of slow-cooked pork swimming in a vibrant and intensely-flavored red chile sauce are perfect for eating like a bowl of chili, stuffing into corn tortillas, or serving with beans and rice.

Ingredients

Instructions 

  • In a medium saucepan, bring the dried chiles and water to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the chiles have softened. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Drain.
  • Blend the softened chiles, garlic, onion, vinegar, salt, cumin, pepper, oregano, and cinnamon in a blender until smooth.
  • In a large bowl or baking dish, mix together the pork and chile purée until the meat is coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
  • In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the carne adobada and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the meat is cooked through. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes, until most of the juices from the meat and adobo sauce have evaporated and the meat has started to brown.
  • Serve with beans and rice, or use as a filling for tacos.

Notes

NOTE: If dried pasilla chiles aren’t available, increase the number of dried ancho chiles to 6. Also, you can substitute one (14-ounce) can mild enchilada sauce for the dried chiles and water.
EXPERT TIPS:
  • Cut meat into even pieces for even cooking. I recommend freezing the meat for about 15 minutes before cutting to make it easier to handle. For New Mexican-style pork stew, make sure to cut the pieces into chunks about 3/4 of an inch across.
  • Use a blend of chiles for depth of flavor. Using multiple types of chiles is what gives this sauce it’s depth of flavor. Make sure to use at least 2 varieties for the best flavor.
  • Make the chili sauce ahead of time. Much like my red chile sauce, you can make a big batch and freeze the adobo for up to 6 months.
  • Storage. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months!
Calories: 255kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 62mg, Sodium: 677mg, Potassium: 694mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 5165IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 3mg

Photography by Jenna Sparks 
Originally published: February 2017.