Name: Red Iguana 2s Mole Coloradito Recipe
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 lbs pork shoulder (bone-in or boneless), cut into 2-inch cubes; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1.5 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1 each orange, juiced (reserve halves); 2 each bay leaves; 1 cup water; 3 each dried ancho chiles, seeds removed; 3 each dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed; 1 each fresh poblano chiles; 1 each bananas (ripe but firm), halved lengthwise; 0.25 cups pine nuts; 0.25 cups raw almonds; 0.25 cups dry-roasted peanuts (no salt preferred); 2 tbsp sesame seeds (white); 1 each yellow onion, roughly chopped; 4 each garlic cloves, peeled; 1 each tomato (roma or plum), halved; 1 slice stale bolillo or white bread, torn into pieces (for thickening); 1.5 oz Mexican table chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, chopped; 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.5 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano); 3 each cloves, whole; 1.5 tsp salt; 3 tbsp vegetable oil (for frying/toasting); 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped; 4 each lime wedges; 8 each warm corn or flour tortillas

Method

Pork Carnitas

1. Season and brown pork

Pat the pork cubes dry and season with 1.5 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, brown the pork pieces on all sides until well colored (about 6–8 minutes per batch). Transfer browned pork to a plate.

2. Braise pork

Reduce heat to medium. Add reserved orange halves (cut side down) to the pot and sear briefly to deglaze, scraping up browned bits. Return all pork to the pot, add 1 cup water, 2 bay leaves, and the juice of the reserved orange. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook gently until pork is fork-tender, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Once tender, remove pork and keep warm; reserve 1/2 cup of braising liquid to thin the mole if needed.

3. Crisp the carnitas (optional)

To get crisp edges, preheat oven broiler or a skillet. Spread the cooked pork on a rimmed sheet pan, drizzle with 1 tbsp oil, and broil until edges are crispy (3–6 minutes), or sear in a hot skillet in batches until edges are caramelized. Keep warm while you prepare the mole.

Chiles & Toasting

1. Toast dried chiles

Working over medium heat in a dry skillet, toast the ancho and guajillo chiles for 20–30 seconds per side, pressing lightly with a spatula until aromatic but not burned. Remove to a plate.

2. Rehydrate chiles

Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with 2 cups of very hot water (or enough to submerge). Soak 20–25 minutes until pliable. Drain, reserving 1 cup of soaking liquid; discard stems and any large veins. If you want less heat, remove seeds before soaking (we assumed seeds removed in ingredients).

3. Roast poblano and banana

Char the poblano over a gas flame or under a broiler until skin is blackened on all sides. Place in a bowl, cover sealed with plastic or a towel for 10 minutes, then peel, seed, and coarsely chop. Meanwhile, in the same skillet used for toasting chiles, add the halved banana cut-side down and sear until caramelized (1–2 minutes each side). Set aside.

Nuts, Seeds & Toasting

1. Toast nuts and seeds

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts, almonds and peanuts separately or together, stirring constantly until golden and fragrant (about 3–5 minutes). Transfer to a plate. In the same skillet, toast the sesame seeds until lightly golden (about 1–2 minutes). Remove and set aside. Watch closely to avoid burning.

2. Fry the bread and tomato

Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil to the skillet over medium heat. Fry the torn bread pieces until golden on both sides (about 1–2 minutes per side). Add the halved tomato, cut-side down, and the roughly chopped onion and cook until softened and blistered (4–6 minutes). Add garlic cloves and cook another 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat.

Blend Mole

1. Combine in blender

Into a high-speed blender, add the rehydrated chiles (drained), toasted pine nuts, almonds, peanuts, sesame seeds, caramelized banana, peeled and chopped poblano, fried bread, fried tomato, onion, and garlic. Add 1.5 oz chopped Mexican chocolate, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, and the 3 whole cloves. Pour in 1 cup of the chile soaking liquid and 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock. Blend on high until very smooth, about 2–4 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add reserved braising liquid or more stock 2–4 tbsp at a time until it reaches a smooth, saucy consistency.

2. Strain (optional)

For an extra-silky mole, pass the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spoon or spatula to extract as much sauce as possible. Discard solids.

Finish Mole

1. Cook and season

In a clean saucepan, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat. Pour in the strained or unstrained mole sauce. Simmer gently, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, for 10–15 minutes to develop flavor and thicken. Taste and add up to 1.5 tsp salt total (adjust to preference). If sauce is too bitter, a pinch of sugar or a splash (1 tsp) of orange juice can balance it. If too thick, thin with reserved stock or braising liquid.

2. Add chocolate and adjust

Stir in an additional small piece of the chopped Mexican chocolate if you want a rounder chocolate finish. Continue simmering 2–3 minutes until chocolate is fully incorporated and sauce is glossy.

To Serve

1. Combine carnitas and mole

Arrange warmed tortillas on plates. Spoon a generous ladle of mole over the crisped pork carnitas (or serve sauce on the side for dipping). Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve lime wedges alongside to brighten the dish.

2. Storage

Mole keeps well: refrigerate sauce in an airtight container up to 4–5 days or freeze up to 3 months. Rewarm gently and thin with stock if needed before serving with reheated carnitas.