Relleno negro is a Yucatecan stew of turkey or pork in a deeply black sauce made from charred dried chiles, the dish's distinguishing colour and smoky flavour coming from the burnt-chile recado negro paste.

The dish is one of the oldest Mayan stews to survive into modern Yucatán cookery, traditionally cooked for Hanal Pixán (the Yucatán Day of the Dead) and family feasts. The recado negro paste (charred chiles xcatic and chile dulce, garlic, cloves, allspice and burnt tortilla) gives the deep-black colour; the technique is to char everything to ash on a comal, then grind and rehydrate. Stuffed turkey or chicken cooks in the inky stock for two hours; hard-boiled egg and pork meatballs (bolitas) ring the plate. La Chaya Maya, La Tradición and Restaurante Kinich in Izamal are the canonical sources. The dish appears across Mérida tasting menus during November.

3 editor picks for Relleno negro in Mérida, ranked by editorial score. All Mérida signature dishes · Relleno negro across every city.