Carne Adovada Recipe

Prepare chiles

Heat a large dry skillet over medium heat. Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles 15–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water; soak 15 minutes until softened. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid.

Make adobo sauce

In a blender, combine drained softened chiles, reserved soaking liquid, chipotle in adobo, garlic, orange juice, white vinegar, ground cumin, dried oregano, ground coriander, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Blend until very smooth, adding up to 2–3 tablespoons of stock to help blend if needed. Taste and adjust salt; sauce should be tangy and richly red-brown.

Marinate pork

Place pork cubes in a large bowl or resealable bag. Pour the adobo sauce over the pork, rubbing to coat all pieces. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, to allow flavors to penetrate.

Sear pork

When ready to cook, remove pork from fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a heavy Dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear pork cubes 2–3 minutes per side until nicely browned. Transfer seared pork to a plate.

Combine and braise

Reduce heat to medium. If pan is dry, add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and sauté half the sliced onion for 2 minutes to add flavor (optional). Return all seared pork to the pot. Pour remaining adobo sauce from the marinade into the pot and add 1 cup of stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Cover and braise gently on low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until pork is fork-tender. Alternatively, braise in a 325°F (160°C) oven, covered, for the same time.

Reduce sauce (optional)

If sauce is thin after braising, remove the lid and simmer 8–12 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt if needed.

Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or wrapped in a damp towel in the oven or microwave.

Heat the reserved sliced onion in a small skillet with a teaspoon of oil until softened and slightly caramelized, or serve raw for crunch, per preference.

Shred or chop the braised pork into smaller pieces with two forks or tongs. Spoon pork and generous sauce onto warm tortillas. Top with chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and pickled red onions if using.

Serve immediately with extra lime wedges and remaining sauce on the side.