Mary and Tito's Cafe ★ 4.7
Mary and Tito's Cafe is a New Mexican restaurant at 2711 4th St NW in Albuquerque.
History
Carne adovada is pork marinated and slow cooked in red chile sauce, garlic and oregano, one of the signature dishes of New Mexican cooking. In 2010 the James Beard Foundation wrote that it might be the most characteristic of New Mexico's dishes, that New Mexicans argue the merits of different preparations, and that aficionados nearly always rank Mary and Tito's tops. The Gonzales family serves the fork tender meat as the centerpiece of a plate, in overstuffed burritos and as a filling for enchiladas and empanadas. Papa Felipe's, Los Cuates, Sadie's and El Pinto also put it on their menus.
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 serves New Mexican cuisine on Fourth Street NW, with big portions and a signature kick of heat, in a family owned room.
SignatureGreen Chile Chicken Birria Tacos, Stuffed sopapilla sliders
El Pinto ★ 4.5
El Pinto opened in 1962 to serve one family's recipes at 10500 4th Street NW, and now bottles its own salsa and sauces for stores nationwide.
Papa Felipe's Mexican Restaurant ★ 4.4
Papa Felipe's is a New Mexican restaurant at 9800 Menaul Blvd NE serving green chile carne adovada, tacos and enchiladas made from scratch, open daily.
OrderGreen chile carne adovada, made from scratch
Los Cuates de New Mexico ★ 4.3
Los Cuates serves traditional New Mexican fare at 4901 Lomas Blvd NE, locally owned since 1980, with chile relleno plate, baked carne adovada and sopapillas.
SignatureChile Relleno Plate, Baked carne adovada, Espinaca con Queso
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.
TryCarne 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.
SignatureSun-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.
TryBreakfast 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.
SignatureBlue corn enchiladas, Carne adovada with red chile, Tamales
More cities are in research. Want carne adovada covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.