A Spicy Perspective

Carne Adovada (New Mexican Red Chile Pork)

New Mexican Carne Adovada – An authentic recipe for Red Chile Pork, featuring boneless pork roast simmered in a deliciously intense spiced sauce. With an easy slow cooker option!

side view three bowls with carne adovada topped with cilantro

Getting away for a bit is a great way to create relaxation and experience a change of scenery… But, honestly, my favorite part of traveling is eating new and exciting foods!

On our recent trip to New Mexico, we ate so many wonderful regional dishes, such as “Christmas” red and green chile, blue corn pancakes, Navajo tacos, and deliciously savory and boldly spiced Carne Adovada.

What’s the difference between Carne Asada and Carne Adovada?

Both of these tasty dishes are made with meat, but that’s about all they have in common.

Carne Asada is a popular Central and South American recipe made with thinly-sliced skirt steak or flank steak. The beef is marinated and quick-seared to give it a wonderful charred taste that pairs well with bright flavors like lime and chimichurri.

Carne Adovada, on the other hand, is slow-cooked, intensely spiced, and slightly sweet pork dish. Chunks of pork are simmered in a vibrant red chile sauce that is smoky without being too spicy. It is served with rice to soak up all of the saucy goodness.

overhead view carned adovada in three bowls with lime and avocado

Classic Carne Adovada Recipe

Don’t be scared off by the spices here! The bold flavor in Carne Adovada isn’t necessarily spicy heat. Based on the chiles you use, the New Mexican red chile pork can be bold and mild with a deep, smoky essence.

And that hint of sweetness comes from a surprise ingredient… raisins! They are a lovely balance to the savory flavors in the Adovada recipe.

While it does take nearly 3 hours to make traditional New Mexico Carne Adovada, the steps required are not at all complicated, and trust me, patience really pays off here. Plus, the recipe can easily be made in a slow cooker so you can be hands-off for most of the day.

Give this fantastic flavorful dish a try for a relaxing and comforting weekend dinner! If you somehow manage to not eat it all in one night (and I totally wouldn’t blame you if you couldn’t help yourself), leftovers are great to enjoy for satisfying lunches or as a quick weeknight dinner repeat.

fork holding piece of red chile simmered pork with bite

Ingredients You Need

  • Water
  • New Mexico dried chiles – or a mix of Ancho, Guajillo, and/or Pasilla chiles
  • Raisins – dark raisins are traditional
  • Olive oil – or preferred neutral-tasting cooking oil
  • Boneless pork roast – cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes (pork butt or loin)
  • Onion – peeled and chopped
  • Garlic Cloves– minced
  • Spices – ground cumin, dried oregano, bay leaves
  • Apple cider vinegar – to tenderize the meat and mellow out the spicy chiles
  • Beef base – or bouillon
red chiles, pork, garlic, onion

How to Make New Mexican Red Chile Pork (Carne Adovada)

First, set a large 6-8 quart saucepot (or dutch oven) over high heat. Add the water and bring it to a boil. Tear the stems off the red chile pods and remove the seeds, and then rip the chiles into large pieces. Pro Tip: Use rubber gloves whenever handling hot chiles.

Once the water is boiling, stir in the dried chile pieces and raisins. Turn off the heat and let the chiles steep for 10 minutes.

pot with steeped red chiles and raisins

Meanwhile, prep the remaining ingredients: Cut the pork roast into large 1 ½ inch chunks and season well with salt and pepper. Chop the onion and garlic.

Once the chiles are soft and well-hydrated, pour the chiles, raisins, and liquid into the blender. Cover the blender and open the vent to let the steam out. Turn the blender on low and blend for 15 seconds. Add the vinegar and beef base. Then turn the blender on high and puree until smooth.

Note: Check to make sure your blender can handle high heat. If not, you need to let everything cool before blending.

blender with red chile and raisin sauce

Set the same saucepot over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the pork chunks, onions, and garlic. Stir and sear the pork for 10-15 minutes, until brown on all sides.

Pour the red chile sauce back into the pot. Add the cumin, oregano, and bay leaves.

top view chunks of seared pork in a large pot

Get the Complete (Printable) Carne Adovada Recipe + VIDEO Below. Enjoy!

adding the smoky sauce to the chunks of seared pork in the pot

Cover and simmer on medium to medium-low heat for approximately 2 hours, until the pork is fork-tender and the sauce is very thick.

Be sure to stir the pork, scraping the bottom of the pot, every 20-30 minutes, to make sure the pork doesn’t stick to the bottom. Be sure to keep the pot covered after stirring.

seared pork covered in red sauce in a pot

Taste the New Mexican red chile pork, then salt and pepper as needed. If you like, add some chopped cilantro to the pot just before serving.

cooked adovada in a pot with cilantro leaves on top

How to Make Carne Adovada (New Mexican Red Chile Pork) in the Slow Cooker

While the preparation for the slow cooker Carne Adobada recipe is similar to the stovetop method, it does allow you to “set it and forget it” once the components are all in the crock.

First, make the sauce and sear the pork on the stovetop as directed. Then move all the ingredients to a large slow cooker. Cover and set on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

view of finished carne adovada with chopped cilantro

Serving Suggestions

This saucy, spiced, stew-like dish is best served over fluffy white rice.

Garnish with lime wedges, cilantro, and avocado, or serve on the side to let everyone add their own toppings!

Pork Carne Adovada is also delicious to use in tacos with flour tortillas or corn tortillas, taco salads with lettuce, burritos, enchiladas, and/or burrito bowls!

side view red chile pork carne adovada in a bowl with white rice, avocado, lime and cilantro

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make Carne Adovada more or less spicy?

The strength of the heat will be determined by the red chiles you use. Ancho chiles are the mildest in flavor, Pasilla chiles tend to be moderately spicy, and Guajillo and New Mexico Hatch chile can be quite hot. All of these red chiles have a great smoky flavor you want in Carne Adovada, so just use whatever combination fits your tastes… And of course, what is available to you. New Mexico chiles can be hard to find in some parts of the country.

What kind of chiles are New Mexico Hatch Chiles?

What we often call New Mexico or Hatch chiles are actually the same chile pepper variety also known as a California or Anaheim chile. They are long and green, and dry into a deep red color with a robust flavor. However, the chiles grown in New Mexico, and most specifically the town of Hatch, are much hotter than Anaheims due to the climate in which they are grown. The dryer the climate, the hotter the chile pepper. That is what makes Hatch chiles so special.

What other recipes can I make with cooked Carne Adovada?

The deliciously spiced stewed meat is great to include in tacos, and much more! Use it to make burritos, taco salads, stuffed omelets or baked potatoes, or just about any dishes you like.

How long does homemade New Mexican red chile pork last?

This is a great recipe to make ahead! Leftover Carne Adovada will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the stew cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container to store in the fridge or freezer.

finished bowl top view with white rice, red chile carne adovada, slices of avocado, and lime wedge

Looking for More Delicious Southwestern Recipes?

Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, and sodium percentages.

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Carne Adovada (New Mexican Red Chile Pork) Recipe + VIDEO

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
New Mexican Carne Adovada – An authentic recipe for Red Chile Pork, featuring boneless pork roast simmered in a deliciously intense spiced sauce. With an easy slow cooker option!
Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Set a large 6-8 quart saucepot over high heat. Add the water and bring to a boil. Tear the stems off the chiles and remove the seeds. Then rip the chiles into large pieces. Once the water is boiling, stir in the dried chiles pieces and raisins. Turn off the heat and let the chiles steep for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, cut the pork roast into large 1 ½ inch chunks. Season well with salt and pepper. Chop the onion and garlic.
  • Once the chiles are soft and well-hydrated, pour the chiles, raisins, and liquid into the blender. Cover the blender and open the vent to let the steam out. Turn the blender on low and blend for 15 seconds. Add the vinegar and beef base. Then turn the blender on high and puree until smooth.
  • Set the same saucepot over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the pork chunks, onions, and garlic. Stir and sear the pork for 10-15 minutes, until brown on all sides.
  • Pour the red chile sauce back into the pot. Add the cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. Cover and simmer on medium to medium-low for approximately 2 hours, until the pork in fork-tender and the sauce is very thick. Be sure to stir the pork scraping the bottom, every 20-30 minutes, so make sure the pork doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Be sure to keep covered after stirring.
  • Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm with rice, limes, avocadoes, and cilantro. Or serve with tortillas for Adovada tacos!

Video

Notes

Want to make Adovada in the slow cooker? Make the sauce and sear the pork on the stovetop as directed. Then move all the ingredients to a large slow cooker. Cover and set on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
Leftover Carne Adovada will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the stew cool completely before transferring to an airtight container to store in the fridge or freezer.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75c, Calories: 270kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 95mg, Sodium: 246mg, Potassium: 833mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 550IU, Vitamin C: 82mg, Calcium: 35mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: dinner, Main, Main Course
Cuisine: Central American, Mexican, South American, southwest, Tex-Mex
Author: Sommer Collier

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8 comments on “Carne Adovada (New Mexican Red Chile Pork)”

  1. This was amazing and easy as well. Definitely tastes as good as anything I’ve had in New Mexico!

  2. My mother made this all the time when we were kids. This is the second time I’ve made this recipe since she past. What a wonderful way to to remember New Mexico. Thank you. 

  3. It was really, really good. I wish I had used a slow cooker or a Dutch oven. I decided to put it in the oven in a pan, covered with foil on 250 for a few hours instead of letting it cook on the stove. It turned out so tender and really thick. I’ll definitely make this again. 

  4. For the pork roast, so you mean a pork butt, pork loin?!

  5. This was heavenly! I used the leftovers in burritos for the week – easy lunch! SO GOOD.

  6. This was a new to me recipe and I am so glad I tried it! Delicious and easy to make.

  7. this pork recipe has become one of my favorites! I love the spice, especially since I lowered the amount of red chiles that I added. SO GOOD!