Mary and Tito's Cafe ★ 4.7
Mary and Tito's on Fourth Street in Albuquerque is the James Beard America's Classic 2010 winner serving carne adovada turnovers and red chile enchiladas.
Try: Carne adovada turnover
History
Carne adovada is the Spanish Pueblo fusion that defines New Mexican cooking. Spanish colonists brought pork from Mexico in the 16th century. Pueblo cooks combined it with the native chile pod. Mary and Tito's Cafe on Fourth Street received the James Beard America's Classic award in 2010 for its rendition, the first national recognition for an Albuquerque restaurant.
Common allergens: Gluten in tortilla
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 1.5kg pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 5cm cubes
- 12 dried New Mexico red chile pods, stemmed and seeded
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican preferred)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
Method
- Toast the dried chile pods in a dry skillet 30 seconds per side until fragrant. Soak in hot water 20 minutes.
- Blend the soaked chiles with garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, and 2 cups of the soaking water until smooth. Strain through a sieve.
- Season the pork with salt. Heat oil in a Dutch oven and brown the pork in batches.
- Add onion, cook 5 minutes. Pour the chile sauce over the pork.
- Cover and braise at 160 C / 325 F for 2.5 to 3 hours until the pork falls apart easily.
- Serve with warm flour tortillas, beans and Spanish rice.
Tip from the editors. Use mild Chimayo or hot Hatch dried red chile pods; pre-ground chile powder loses the deep, smoky flavor and turns muddy in the braise.
Where to eat carne adovada
Carne adovada in Albuquerque
Sadie's of New Mexico ★ 4.6
Sadie's of New Mexico on Fourth Street in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque is the heritage New Mexican family room since 1954, famous for the stuffed sopaipilla.
Signature: Stuffed sopaipilla, Carne adovada
El Pinto ★ 4.5
El Pinto on Fourth Street NW in Albuquerque's North Valley is the ten acre mission compound serving New Mexican since 1962, with red and green chile.
Signature: Carne adovada, Stacked enchiladas
El Modelo Mexican Foods ★ 4.7
El Modelo on Second Street SW in Albuquerque's Barelas neighborhood is the heritage carne adovada counter since 1929 with red chile tamales and posole.
Why locals love it: 1929 Barelas takeaway counter wraps carne adovada burritos in butcher paper, tourists miss the South Valley turn.
Tip: Order one of everything from the counter case, eat at the picnic tables outside or take it down to the Rio Grande bosque.
Carne adovada in Santa Fe
Horseman's Haven Cafe ★ 4.5
Horseman's Haven has poured cheap chile-laden plates from a Cerrillos Road gas-station building since 1981; full meal under $15, plus the Bourdain-blessed.
Try: Carne adovada burrito with Level 2 green chile
Atrisco Cafe & Bar ★ 4.2
Atrisco builds family-recipe red chile from sun-dried whole pods at Devargas Center, served with local Santa Fe lamb, beef and honey-glazed sopaipillas.
Signature: Sun-dried whole-pod red chile, Carne adovada plate, Sopaipillas with raw honey
Tia Sophia's ★ 4.5
Tia Sophia's lays claim to coining the term "breakfast burrito" on a menu; the Plaza counter has fed Santa Fe under-budget breakfasts since 1975.
Try: Breakfast burrito with red or green chile
Casa Chimayo ★ 4.3
Casa Chimayo cooks family Chimayo red and green chile and Dine accents downtown; Guy Fieri filmed DDD here for the famous blue corn enchiladas plate.
Signature: Blue corn enchiladas, Carne adovada with red chile, Tamales
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