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
Red chile is the same New Mexico pod as green, but left on the vine until ripe and then dried into ristras (decorative hanging strings). Spanish colonists brought pork; combined with Pueblo dried red chile, the carne adovada style was born. Today red chile defines the New Mexican breakfast burrito, the stacked enchiladas and the posole at every heritage counter in Albuquerque.
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 15 dried New Mexico red chile pods, stemmed and seeded
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 4 cups water
Method
- Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet 30 seconds per side until fragrant. Watch carefully; burnt chile turns bitter.
- Place toasted chiles in a saucepan with 4 cups water. Simmer 15 minutes until soft.
- Transfer chiles and 2 cups of the cooking water to a blender. Add garlic, oregano, cumin, salt and oil.
- Blend on high until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Strain through a fine sieve into a clean pan. Simmer 5 more minutes to meld flavors.
- Use immediately on enchiladas, in carne adovada or as a finishing sauce on breakfast burritos.
Tip from the editors. Mild Chimayo and hot Hatch dried red chile pods produce different sauces. Blend them 50/50 for a balanced everyday red. Avoid pre-ground commercial chile powder; it tastes muddy.
Where to eat red chile sauce
Red chile sauce in Albuquerque
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.
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
Cervantes Restaurant and Lounge ★ 4.3
Cervantes on Gibson Boulevard in Albuquerque is the longtime South Valley New Mexican family room with carne adovada burritos and a separate bar lounge.
Signature: Carne adovada burrito, Red chile enchiladas
More cities are in research. Want red chile sauce covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.